This is such an awesome book. I love Albert! Living a lie for most of his life, he finally decides to share himself with others. From lonely spinster to friendly well loved Albert. His view on the world and it’s ‘isms’ are so misguided. It’s amazing when he sees what he’s been missing.
I listened to this as an audio book and loved the narrator. He brought Albert to life, but also captured the other characters perfectly too. Loved this book.

Packed with great characters full of life, this book was an emotional rollercoaster. By chapter 9 I was a broken woman and by the next chapter, hopeful and joyous.

A really beautiful story I would recommend to anyone.

I enjoyed the narrator and I loved the accent, but I did feel he over enunciated a little.

An immersion into life in Lancashire, with a very enthusiastic narrator (with an appropriate Lancashire accent) and a delightful central character. Albert is nearing retirement, but given that the Post Office sorting office, where he meets with fellow posties, is his one social get-together, he is going to miss it. He now fully realises that he is lonely and really doesn’t want to give up the focal point of his life (apart from his cat, Gracie, who keeps him company at home) which gives meaning to him. He has missed out on a good chunk of his life because he took care of his ailing mother, who turned very sour at the end and continually sent barbed comments his way.

Nicole is a single mum living on the Flowers Estate, which is a struggle for her as she can sometimes feel quite threatened as she goes out and about, even with her daughter. He delivers post to her and she starts to play a part in his life.

The story is a meander through Albert's life, as he starts to sort out what and who really matter to him. He looks back to his younger years when he found comfort in a friend, but the atmosphere then around same sex relationships was even harder. Now he sees men happily cohabiting and that just causes him to think harder.

This is a story driven by characters, charmingly and simply described. And for me here is where it felt like a nice, Harold Fry/Eudora Honeysett study of people in older life, but dripping with tropes that felt just a bit too well worn and, at times quite tedious. Cackling women fascinated by bulging underpants and menopausal moaning (not to mention hemorrhoids the size of a bunch of grapes), the Secret Santa shenanigans..... you could almost predict which rabbit hole the author would go down next as he moved around the story.

This clearly, given the positive reviews, appeals to many readers because it is uplifting and heart-warming on many levels, so check it out for yourself. It just wasn’t one for me.

Location isn’t strong.

I loved reading the book last year but I'm also enjoying the audiobook. The narrator is perfect for the role, and is really bringing the book to life.

Touching and heartwarming story about a man who lives a solitary life, worrying that he will not be understood following the terrible treatment he received when his father discovered he was gay. Explores the experiences and stigma of growing up gay and how attitudes have changed over the decades since the 1950s

Albert has worked in the same job as a postman since leaving school. He avoids mixing with his work colleagues as much as possible, but he loves his job and is devastated to find he is going to be forced to retire at his next birthday.

Events conspire to make him think about how much he regrets having to break up with his boyfriend all those years ago, and he gradually gets the courage and help from his new friends to try to find his long lost love.

I loved this book the first time of reading and getting to listen to the audiobook was just fabulous.
Oh Albert, he stole my heart, you know how I love a pensioner in a book and this was no exception.
Albert has worked all his life as a postman, he keeps to himself, preferring his own company and that of his cat.
The first part of the book was really very sad, following how Albert came to be like he was and jumping between present and his past, but gradually Albert starts to blossom and we see that he doesn't want to be on his own as he starts his quest to find a past love.
I loved this one, at first I thought, can I cope with reading something that is going to be this sad, but it was the ultimate uplit and showed how Albert rediscovered himself.
LGBT plays a big part in this book and it was so very well woven through, showing past experiences and how they contrasted with present experiences.
I am expecting this to be a summer hit and will be highly recommending this to everyone.

This book put me through the ringer emotionally, its so uplifting as a story of long lost love and heartbreak. Its also devastating in equal measure as some of the stuff the characters went through is horrendous. The dual timeline makes this a beautiful book that demonstrates that LGBT acceptance has changed so much. A must read powerful love story #netgalley #thesecretlifeofalbertentwistle #LGBT #love #heartbreak

I didn't dislike this book, but I just didn't quite enjoy it either. It's the story of 64 year old Albert, a quiet, introverted, socially awkward man living in a little Yorkshire village. When he receives a letter from The Post Office saying he will need to retire at 65, he suddenly wonders what he will do with all his spare time. After spending Christmas alone, and reminiscing over his teenage romance with George, he decides to set out on a mission to find George and rekindle what they had.

What follows is Albert's journey as he starts to make friends with his colleagues and neighbours, his journey to track down George, and his growth as an introvert to a near-socialite. This is all interspersed with flashbacks to Albert's childhood, his hidden relationship with George, and the homophobia they were subject to by classmates, parents and society.

The story just felt too long, side characters had so much exposure that it felt unnecessary. It felt like a slog to get through the first third of the book before we even got to Albert's decision to find George. It did pick up at this point, as the search began, but I found it unrealistic that everyone Albert confided in and came out to was very positive and supportive and became one of his inner circle. The ending also seemed a bit too saccharine and neatly tied up happy endings for everyone. I listened to the audiobook version of this, and I found the narrator to be far too young to be credible considering the main character is mid 60s, so I don't think this helped.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve just finished this roller coaster ride of emotions and it exceeded all my expectations. I completed this delightful story within two days as I was so enthralled by the characters and the journey that they were on that I couldn’t wait to find out where the story took them.
It’s a very diverse storyline that deals with the fears of growing up and finding out and accepting who we are. Even though for some of us it may take longer than others, It gives us the hope that it is never too late to change and bring happiness into our lives, I don’t want to say too much as I never like to give away storylines with my reviews but this really tugs on the heart strings but with moments of happy euphoria.
As a therapist I can understand that this book gives a very important and positive message. There are actually certain clients I would recommend it to.
I have only ever given one other book a five star review but this is now my second. I also think it would make a fantastic film adaptation. We can all do with a bit of Albert Entwistle in our lives and I certainly know who I will be dressing up as for the next world book day (orders postman outfit). Well done Matt Cain!

I love this book. It's so feel good and wonderfully written. It is really heartfelt and feel good. The characters are wonderful and I really liked the audio reading style of this book.

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle is a gem of a book. When I first started listening I wasn't too sure how much I would like it, but as it progressed I really got into it. Albert is 64, lives with his cat and has been a postman all his working life. He thrives on his familiar routines and avoiding contact with others as much as possible. When he finds out he must take compulsory retirement at 65 he is devastated and this, in combination with other events, makes him rethink his life. The story switches between Albert's present life and events from 50 years ago, and the circumstances of his difficult past emerge, highlighting why he lives the way his does today. We also get to know the other characters in the book, particularly Nicole, a young single parent. I really enjoyed the character development and I definitely became invested in their stories. Albert's story was both fun and moving, and particularly poignant during the second half of the book. There are strong themes of family and friendships, tolerance and ignorance, At the start of the book I felt like the point was being laboured about Albert wanting go and hide away from other people. I understand why this was done now though and I am really glad I persisted. I do feel that Albert's transformation and increased confidence was rather too fast and smooth, but not enough to detract from the overall joy of the book. The threads of the story for the characters were very neatly tied up, so one does need to somewhat suspend belief, but that aside I did love it. I found the story incredibly moving and the overall messages of kindness and connection are all really important. I think Layton Williams was the perfect choice to read the book, he really brought the characters to life and the pacing was perfect. The extra content following the book in which the author interviewed gay men who lived through a similar time to Albert was very moving. It was valuable in realising that although Albert is fictional, there are so many people who went through (and of course many still do) prejudice, persecution and violence because of whom they loved. Many thanks to the author, Netgalley and Headline audio for the gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Very easy listen and I loved the authentic Lancashire accent of the narrator. The story is predictable I suppose but it doesn’t sink to saccharine so in all I have to say I quite liked it.

Albert Entwistle is such a lonely yet loveable character, Albert is about to reach his 65th birthday this meas he will be forced to retire from his post office job a job hes had for nearly 50 years and its the only thing he has, he has no friends or family the only thing he has is the memories of his one true love George, homosexual in the 70s was frowned upon and Albert let his love go, so now on the brink of his 65th birthday hes decided to be brave, find friends and most importantly find George.
The book is incredibly uplifting and deals with lots of the prejudices of the past and how homosexuality was treated in the not so long ago past. it is also enhanced with true life stories at end of other gay peoples experiances growing up.
The audiobook is narrated well by Layton Williams and he does an excellant job at playing all the characters my only criticism would be that who ever the sound engineer was, really should of moved the microphone slightly as all i could hear, when using my headphones was Layton gulping and it really bugged me as I hate hearing noises like this.

Oh my god, how I loved, love, loved this book. Tbqh I was ready to write my five-star review around 10% into listening to the audiobook, so beautifully, passionately and warmly performed by Layton Williams. This is such a heartfelt, compassionate, warm book - that broke my heart and then healed it several times after. It's a timeless, achingly relatable story of the richness that can come into your life when you make the brave decision to live honestly, openly and authentically. Full of rich characterisations and a real love for its people and place, this book genuinely deserves to become the new Eleanor Oliphant. Matt Cain has written a real triumph.

T. J. Klune meets Coronation Street! This is a heartwarming romance with more than a touch of the North about it.

Sixty four year-old Albert Entwistle lives a lonely life. He has worked as a Royal Mail postman for almost forty five years, and his work provides him with his only reason to interact with the rest of the world. Albert is a loner: he’s lived alone since the death of his parents and is terrified of other people. He lives a quiet life in which his main concern is to follow is routines and disappear into the background as much as possible. His only joy in life seems to come from the company of his much-loved cat.

When Albert receives the devastating news that he will be forced to retire at sixty five, he is hit with the reality that he may never speak to another person ever again. And so, rather than continue his lonely existence, Albert forms a brave plan to start truly living. It’s finally time to be honest about who he is and to seek the happiness that he has denied himself for so long. He decides to find the courage to search for George, the man that he once loved and has never forgotten. As he does, something extraordinary happens – he finds unlikely allies, friends and that the world has changed enough for him to embrace who he really is.

I’ll admit that it took me a while to get into this novel – it’s a little ‘twee’ in places, and as a Lancashire lass myself, I found some of the scenes of life in Northern England a little patronising in places. It features a string of rather ideallised events in the present day and a rather predictable ending.

However, I’m happy to look past most of this, as there is another side to ‘The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle’. The novel’s real strength is the way in which it depicts this horribly-closeted character, and the devastating reasons why he is so old when he finally feels able to come out as gay. The reality of LGBTQ+ history in the last half century is relayed in a simple manner, and the horrifying effects of prejudice and ignorance are clearly depicted in Albert’s character. There must be many people like Albert who have never felt comfortable expressing themselves, and I hope that this novel will help their neighbours, co-workers and family to be a little more gentle in their understanding.

I’m not quite sure how realistic the scenes of Albert’s coming out are, or indeed his change from recluse to extravert, but this story is told from a good place and it has at its centre a heart-warming romance, with some much-darker scenes set in the past. It’s an accesible text showing the damaging and wide-reaching effects of homophobia, the progress that has been made in recent years, and how far things still need to change.

I loved this book. It was so sweet and heartwarming. I felt emotional almost all the way through. It had that cosy feeling that I love in books, but with the added element of the discussion of the impact of being LGBTQ+ at a time when it was illegal or heavily persecuted. I loved the character development and while there were some parts that might have been idealised, it was so heartwarming it can all easily be forgiven! I'll definitely be reading everything this author writes.

I listened to the audiobook and I do have some issues with the narration. I was confused at first because I thought it was a children's book with the way it was being narrated. It wasn't an issue with the narrator's regional accent (I'm also from Bolton), but there were multiple pronunciation issues (why didn't anyone tell the narrator how to pronounce Marjorie?) and stress put on the wrong word or parts of words. The childishness of the narration almost made me DNF early on , but once I got invested in the story, I couldn't stop!

The story is 5* and I would recommend everyone read it. I think it's important for everyone to understand where we've come from.

I listened to this on audiobook. Loved the narrator he really brought Albert and the rest of the characters to life. There were some great characters in this book.

Told over different timelines from present day to his younger days in the 60's where he fell in love and lost the love of his life. Albert sets off with the hope of finding George but Albert found himself in a world where he was led to believe he was a dirty secret.

He always felt like an outsider but by opening up to a few people he started to belong to not just one community but two. Its funny and also really emotional but heartwarming and above all quite positive.

Its hard to think of a time where gay men were treated so badly. At the end there are accounts from men of a similar age to Albert who open up and tell their stories of growing up and its just heartbreaking what they endured.

This is such a wonderfully deep and engaging book that just envelopes you. Works great as an audiobook

Albert Entwistle was a postman. It was one of the few things everyone knew about him. And it was one of the few things he was comfortable with people knowing.

64-year-old Albert Entwistle has been a postie in a quiet town in Northern England for all his life, living alone since the death of his mam 18 years ago. He keeps himself to himself. He always has. But he's just learned he'll be forced to retire at his next birthday. With no friends and nothing to look forward to, the lonely future he faces terrifies him. He realises it's finally time to be honest about who he is. He must learn to ask for what he wants. And he must find the courage to look for George, the man that, many years ago, he lost - but has never forgotten.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review. The narration has good pace and flow,and the narrators voices seemed right for the characters they were portraying. I listened to this as an audio book and felt the narrators really helped bring the story to life. I particularly enjoyed the storytelling.

Albert is a postman - he is adorable! He is a loner and tends to keep himself to himself. He is retiring shortly and lives alone with his pet cat, Gracie who he dotes on. And then he decides he is going to search for his one true love - George - who he hasn’t set eyes on for over 50 years. With the help of the fabulous Nicole they set out to achieve their goal and what a splendid story - very uplifting, incredibly emotional and delightfully heartwarming! This audiobook is narrated by Layton Williams and wow! What a great listen it is!! The author Matt Cain is also the writer of The Madonna of Bolton so I will be checking that one out too! Thank you to Headline Audio and to Netgalley for the chance to review this book.