What an absolutely beautiful book! Dealt with sensitive subjects really, really well and brilliantly descriptive characters. Highly recommended.

Arthur and Teddy, two ends of the age spectrum but both struggling to come out to their families. A lovely novel that had me laughing and crying several times. So sad that we are having to read about the same problems over such times scales. Friendship and family can carry you through anything.

Arthur is just the most loveliest character I think I've ever read about. His story had me crying through most of this book, from being so brave for coming out after 50 years of marriage, to why they did marry, wow. Inspiring his grandson who is also gay, and not out, yet, and supporting each other through it all. This book just took my breath away and to read the acknowledgements after, knowing the author felt suicidal at one point, and so graciously touched on the subject through the book was absolutely incredible. It just shows how harsh a world we can live in but that there are those that are supportive and kind too.
Thank you so much to netgalley, the publishers and author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be buying a hard copy for sure. Excellent, excellent story that I could not put down.

Arthur, who is 79, comes out to his family at the start of this book. It was interesting to see an older character doing this and some of the issues that he had. There was a good range of reactions from family and friends. Some were supportive and some, not so much, in fact blatantly homophobic.

Teddy, his grandson is also gay and on the verge of coming out. Arthur's announcement leaves him with a dilemma as he has seen his mothers reaction.

Throughout the book I loved the relationship between Arthur and Teddy. However, some of the other characters could have done with a bit more time. For example, Arthur's wife Madeline, who knew he was gay. It's suggested they married to help them both out of a difficult situation but her side of that isn't really explored. Likewise, Ben who is Teddy's colleague is never quite explained. What's his motivation? It seems he's just there to create a bit of tension.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a nice, quick read and overall a bit of a feel good story. All be it with a few serious issues highlighted.

Well, what can I say, this is a fantastic debut by Mr Ryan Love! The title and cover attracted me to the novel instantly. The 'on the nose' title and a picture of an older man with a younger man, I had to request the ARC from Netgalley.

As the title states, it’s about two men’s journey to coming out but this story isn’t like any other story you read. No, Ryan broke barriers and brought a new, fresh story to the genre. The protagonists in this story are Arthur and Teddy, grandfather and grandson.

QOTD: When receiving life changing news, how did you react?

Arthur is a 79 year old man who has been married to his wife Madeleine for fifty years but has decided, now was the time that he needed start being true to himself and come out. We learn about Arthur’s past and why he and Madeleine married and started a family. He invited his two children to lunch so he can tell them the news, but it didn’t go well at all, especially with his daughter Elizabeth and that is when things started to go bad! His only support network he has is Madeleine and his grandson Teddy.

Teddy is 21 years old and struggles coming out after seeing what his grandfather went through, especially with his mother’s reaction. He starts a new job at a tabloid that his mother arranged for him but didn’t expect to meet another man, Ben, starting on the same day and was easy on the eye. We see Teddy going through the ordeal of dating ben but his friend Shakeel did like him and made it known. And for good reason too. Teddy comes out to his family and as predicted, his mother didn’t take it too well.

Will Arthur’s daughter, Teddy’s mother, come around to the fact that her dad and son are gay?
I really enjoyed this novel! The relationship between Arthur and Teddy is inspiring. The way they can depend on each other for help and watch out for and being a rock for each other. Arthur is a very wise character, showing calmness in the face of humility and hurt, looking on the bright side of despair. Teddy is a predictable young man, but at the same time, being beyond his years. The only thing is, he doesn’t see what is right in front of him!
I have rated this 5 stars because I couldn’t find fault in this fantastic piece of writing. The author should be commended for his writing technic because I was hooked from the get go, find it difficult to put the book down and always curious of what is going to happen next. Will Arthur find someone to love? Will Teddy be able to finally wake up to what is happening right in front of him? The characters were put together very well and secondary characters fit well with he story. Each chapter adds to the story.

I would like to add that I was left with questions and curiosity with Ben’s story. What happened to him in the past and what happened between him and Connor? Maybe thoughts for another novel?

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book - such a heartwarming read. I loved the dynamic between Arthur and his grandson Teddy. I read it in two very happy sittings. Thanks so much to the publisher for the ARC.

Arthur is a man in his late 70's who has just come out as gay must to the horror of his daughter and friends. It turns out that his grandson Teddy is also gay and the two navigate their new situations and family reactions. I loved the concept of this book but couldn't get into the writing at all. I had to mark this as did not finish.

Arthur is 79 years old and is about to share the secret he has been keeping his whole life with all his family - that he is gay. His wife always knew, but no one else in the family.

Alongside this, his 21 year old Grandson Teddy has his own secret - he is gay too. He doesn't have the courage to tell his family either, and his new colleague at work is out, proud, and extremely handsome and would like to date him.

Can Arthur and Teddy battle the storm of coming out in a small town where everyone knows everyone else, and deal with first love? A gorgeous book which you won't want to end. It is beautifully and sensitively written with characters which will stay with you for a long time. Sequel please.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/63097609

I loved this books concept and was instantly connected to Arthur as he came out as gay to his family which didn't go as planned. His storyline was a joy to read and had depth that made me want to keep reading. With a strong start, I eagerly read Teddy's chapters as he battles his feelings between also coming out and being himself and keeping it secret to keep others happy. I adored his relationship with his grandparents and friends.
Unfortunately, midway it didn't reach the emotional pull I was expecting and found myself drifting off but I think it was the fact, I couldn't connect with Teddy's love interest Ben or feel the chemistry between them. Luckily, I continued reading and the story bounced back, thanks to Arthur's journey and Teddy's unexpected decisions making it an enjoyable finale.

This is an uplifting story with heart about self discovery, becoming true to self whatever your age and family. Arthur is a character that has lodged himself in my heart and will always remember his philosophy of life.

I have found it very hard to engage with this book due to the language and dialogue used within it. I understand it's the author's debut novel, and it certainly reads that way in my opinion. I really struggled to engage with the story as the language felt very clunky and needs to be edited more. The dialogue especially felt that way. I couldn't bring myself to finish it, despite how cute the story is meant to be.

I was so grabbed by the concept of this one - a grandson and grandfather coming out at the same time, having to navigate both the bigoted homophobic abuse of others but also experiencing the bright paths of friendship, family and love.

Arthur is actually the first to come out, at the age of 79 - but when he and his wife Madeline (LOVED her btw, imagined her as a PG version of Miriam Margolyes) tell their children they are no longer together, it really doesn’t go as planned. That’s partly due to the reaction of their daughter Elizabeth, Teddy’s mum, an outspoken newspaper columnist. This leaves Teddy - in his early 20s - unsure about how to come out himself, especially as he’s wrestling with feelings about someone new and trying to make his own way in journalism.

I really enjoyed getting to know Arthur, Teddy and their friends - and the early days as a trainee journalist were something I could definitely empathise with (even though he was given an easier ride than I was as a trainee, where were the thankless hours sat in a cold car waiting for someone to get home and refuse to speak to you??). The story is both incredibly wholesome, with lovely family moments and I loved the setting of the English village, but also gets at some incredibly serious issues. There is one dramatic moment that slightly surprised me, which I wasn’t quite sure if it fit with the feel with the book when I first read it - but now I see it was important to include and also was important to Arthur and Teddy (sorry to sound vague, trying to review without spoilers here!).

There’s such a fantastic bond between the two men and Ryan Love has really brought both of them to life. A heartwarming and comforting read but one that doesn’t shy away from important issues and really makes you think. And I just wanted to give both of them a massive hug! Thanks to @netgalley and I can’t wait to see what @ryanjl7 writes next (especially with that surname made for rom-coms!)

2.5 stars

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

loved the premise of this book, the feel-good vibes, and the vivid familiar setting of an English small town. however, it was quite a frustrating reading experience as it felt like i was reading a children's book. the writing style was quite unsophisticated and on the nose, the characters felt one-dimensional and their dialogue felt stilted. arthur and teddy themselves were fairly compelling but i didn't feel anyone else got a satisfying arc - especially the characters who grew past their homophobia. for them it felt like they were cartoonishly homophobic and then suddenly not. also, there were several plot twists and changes of heart that i felt came out of nowhere.

This is a three-star book for me not because it was just fine, or mediocre, but because I loved and hated it in equal parts so we came out in the middle!

First, the things I loved. The main storyline was so wonderful, with these parallel coming out storylines within the same family. I loved how supportive Arthur’s wife was of him, and it was incredibly heart-warming to see him so afraid of taking these steps to finally live openly but finding the courage to do it anyway. Teddy’s story included navigating the shifting friendships and relationships of someone in their early twenties, which was very well depicted. The way they supported each other was key to the whole story, and it was lovely to read.

Their individual romantic sub-plots were also brilliant, and complemented each other nicely. Arthur is reminiscing about the one true love of his life, who had to leave the town they live in for his own safety back in the 60s, while Teddy is starting a tentative romance with a co-worker while oblivious to the person who truly loves him. Both storylines brought a lot to the characters and the story, and both had (of course!) a very sweet and heartfelt conclusion.

Okay, so onto the things I didn’t like. Beware, spoilers from here onwards!

Please be aware that I will be discussing suicide and domestic violence in this section.

So there I am, happily reading this feel-good story, and then out of nowhere, we have a plot line where a very minor character (who has appeared once) has killed herself. Sophia is the granddaughter of Arthur’s best friend, who has turned against him since he came out, and they reconcile at her funeral. Teddy writes an article on teen suicide prevention, which earns him respect at work and a bit of conflict with his love interest, and Arthur decides to raise money for charity, which provides him with the chance to go outside his comfort zone, have some good old character growth, and the publicity from his fundraising ultimately reunites him with the love of his life.

The whole storyline felt incredibly exploitative. Sophia had one small scene, and otherwise existed so her death could provide the characters with reasons to do what they all ended up doing, while she was barely mentioned for the rest of the book. I understand the author wanting to include mental health for LGBTQ+ teens in the story. What I’m finding increasingly with queer books marketed to mainstream (read: straight) readers is this drive to cram in as many queer issues as possible, but it creates at best tonal dissonance and at worst this situation here, where tragic storylines exist so the main characters find their purpose. It could have been written differently; if it was changed to a suicide attempt, with Sophia keeping her agency and having more voice in the story, it would have had the same impact on the plot without literally sacrificing one character for the sake of another.

Another moment I had major issue with was Teddy’s mother. She says lots of awful things over the duration of the book, and when Teddy comes out she slaps him across the face. When she apologises he forgives her, reassures her that she’s not a bad mother (which she definitely is) and everyone moves on. I don’t think I need to say much on this one, but I will say that if it had been a father hitting his daughter, I don’t think it would have been dealt with in the same way.

And finally, the epilogue was just a mess. I liked where all the characters ended up, but so much happened between the last chapter and the epilogue that it felt like when I went back on Duolingo after months away but they’ve moved everything round and now I’m expected to know how to speak in the past tense and they won’t teach it to me again. For example, Teddy and his boyfriend – who have JUST got together in the last chapter – broke up between the last chapter and the epilogue, but then got back together in the epilogue. And the job offer that Teddy accepted in the final chapter, he has since left to change not just jobs but professions entirely. I don’t understand why those endings couldn’t have been written into the main story, rather than info dump in the epilogue?

There were some beautiful, wonderful moments in this book, but there were some very troubling moments too. It’s a lot easy to rant-type about things you don’t like rather than things you do, and part of the reason the issues I highlighted annoyed me so much is they were so at odds with an otherwise brilliant book. Will I read this one again? Probably not. Will I read this author again? Probably.

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This book had the word wholesome written all over it! I loved the concept, the storyline of a 79 year old man coming out to his family was so lovely. The grandpa/grandchild relationship was really special and something I’m sure many people can relate to which added a personal level the book. I found myself very happy throughout the book. It felt like reading an adaptation of a Beth O’Leary book meets the film In & Out.

Arthur’s storyline was so enjoyable to read, his relationship and his stories were so lovely and I really liked him as a character. I didn’t feel as connected to Teddy unfortunately, I found Teddy a little difficult to relate to and his own relationship with his friends and Ben felt a little stiff. Whilst Arthurs story was joyful and fun to read, Teddy’s wasn’t easy to engage with.

I found moments of the book difficult to understand, or they didn’t feel fully developed. I wish Teddy and Shak’s plot had more depth to it and wished that many of the characters had more under the surface.

I enjoyed reading the book but I didn’t find myself wanting to keep reading more once it was over. 3.5⭐️/5

Arthur and his wife have an announcement to make - they're separated. Not because they don't love each other, but because Arthur finally feels ready to tell his family, and his small-minded town that he's a gay man. And now, in his 70's, he wants the chance to finally live as himself.

His family is shocked - especially his 21 year old Grandson Teddy who has just started to accept his own sexuality, especially when it comes to his beautiful but problematic co-worker, Ben. Teddy isn't ready, how could he be when it took his Grandad decades to say it out loud? He isn't ready to deal with his overbearing Mother and worry about what everyone will think, especially after how they treated Arthur. But for now, he knows there's one man he can turn to as tries to navigate this new chapter of this life - they can do it together.

"Just remember that every day you aren't being true to who you are is a day wasted. I know I am very blessed to have had a good life, but you deserve to have the best life, the one you really want."

A tender and beautifully told story about self-discovery and self-expression - a testament that there's no time limit to finding yourself no matter how lost you get.

As I'm sure anyone else in the LGBTQ+ Community knows, coming out isn't a one-time thing. We're always coming out to people, and even to ourselves as we learn more about who we are. And I am so excited for the day we no longer assume our kids are straight and coming out isn't a thing, but in the meantime I have wonderful books like this to find catharsis and companionship in.

Arthur was a total delight - society often forgets about the gay men and queer people who lived through the generations before us, and this journey with him was so bittersweet. I felt his pain in mourning for his life before, the one he'd built but the joy at his new one. His relationship with his wife was breath-taking and honestly left me in tears. The love and respect, the understanding and support between them was beautiful, especially as we learn more about their formative years together.

Then we have Teddy, a confused, chaotic Kid trying to find his place in a world that is already confusing and chaotic. I could almost feel the tension in my shoulders as he tried to hold up the weight everyone was placing on him and expecting him to hold up. But he was just a young man, trying to find out what he wanted his life to be. Both of their perspectives had such personality, and both were undeniably endearing from the get-go. At first, their stories are distinct, their voices clear and eventually the two strands came together to be one - one story about family, about coming together, about connections.

A few laughs, some tears and a lot of heart - this isn't just a story about coming out, but about coming face-to-face with ourselves and I absolutely loved it.

I'm a sucker for a story that combines a younger person and a grandparent - much like The Switch by Beth O'Leary - so I was very excited to dive into this book. I really enjoyed the alternating points of view between grandfather and grandson, but I expected the coming out to happen towards the final act instead of early on. Also, for what seemed like it would be a light-hearted book, it touched upon some triggering topics. Overall not a bad read, but not quite what I expected.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Content Warnings: homophobia, outing, suicide, cancer, violence (mentioned), conversion therapy (mentioned), death of a parent (mentioned)

21 year old Teddy isn't ready to come out - especially when his 80 year old grandfather Arthur beats him to it and takes the brunt of their family's reaction.

I'm sorry to say that this book was super meh for me. Going into it, I was expecting that the story would be building towards the eventual coming out of both of these characters, but actually, Arthur's coming out is the very first thing that happens in the book, and Teddy also comes out in the first half. I do kinda feel like I would have preferred the story I was imagining to the one I actually read, which was a bit of a let down.

I think this is largely a case of a 'not for me' book - I didn't jive with the writing style or pacing. I genuinely really loved Arthur's character and his relationships with Teddy (his grandson), Madeleine (his wife), and Oscar (the first man he goes on a date with post-coming out). The rest of the characters, though…oof. I found almost all of the side character super one dimensional and boring - even when characters had massive changes throughout the book, it felt like they were flipping on a dime with little to nothing in the way of development to make those changes feel earned. Also, the narrative of the story SO wanted me to have forgiven Elizabeth by the end of the book - Arthur's daughter/Teddy's mother, who is so aggressively homophobic for the majority of the book before seemingly randomly changing her mind in the last quarter. Absolutely not. Hated her guts.

All in all, I think this was a very sweet concept, and again - Arthur and Teddy's relationship was really sweet and wholesome. For me, it didn't really make up for the predictable plot and boring side characters, I'm sorry.

I loved the premise of this one and the fact there was an older character navigating coming out, if the book had just been about him and his story then I think I would have liked it more, but I really struggled with the other storylines.
I made it to 50%, but unfortunately didn't have the inclination to continue.

Such an entertaining book with some wonderful characters and storylines that are believable and captivating. Each character builds realistic dynamics within the family, friendships and work place. I loved the way the author created depth in each of the characters lives. It all worked so well together, as life does weave and entwine us. The love that Arthur and Madeleine have for each other is simply beautiful and it touched my heart.

The book held lots of different aspects and elements within it. Each of the characters personalities and what they were individually experiencing in their personal lives and how it was effecting them was portrayed well, including their emotional journeys and how it impacted collectively on each other. It brought them and the story alive and created a scene of realistic life experiences.

I felt that everything was well concluded. It stirred a mix of emotions within me throughout the book and left me feeling happy for all the characters. Some real ‘feel good vibes,’ even with the delicate subjects involved.

All round, I enjoyed this. It was a pleasure to read. Thank you to NetGalley and those who allowed me to read this and of course, to the author for doing such a brilliant job, including the acknowledgements.

“He closed his eyes and allowed the words to finally leave his mouth. ‘The truth is, I’m gay.’”

79-year-old Arthur Edwards is about to reveal to his children that he’s gay. While Madeleine, his wife of fifty years, has been incredibly supportive, he’s not sure how his son and daughter are going to react. His 21-year-old grandson Teddy also wants to come out but he’s not feeling quite as brave as his grandfather. When he starts to develop feelings for a colleague, he feels more pressure to reveal his sexuality to his mother.

The chapters alternate between Arthur and Teddy’s viewpoints, which was great. I loved the unique grandfather-grandson spin on a coming out story.

This debut novel from Ryan Love is a lighthearted story which wraps up neatly in a bow at the end - exactly what you would expect and want from a feel good book. A very cute story, it warmed my heart 💜