Becoming Ted is the fifth novel by British broadcaster, commentator and author, Matt Cain. The audio version is narrated by Samuel Barnett. At forty-three, Ted Ainsworth feels incredibly lucky to be married to enthralling, charismatic Giles, so when, after twenty years together, Giles says it’s over, Ted is understandably devastated. As Giles packs his things, Ted tries hard not to seem pathetic, but can only just stop from throwing himself at the man’s feet and sobbing.

At first, Ted doesn’t want to face anyone; he just wants to wallow in his grief. He throws himself into his work in the family business, Ainsworth’s Ice Cream, an icon of St Lukes-on-Sea. Then he convinces himself he can win Giles back from his new flame, Javier, but the chai tea latte ice cream Giles used to love is turning out awful.

His parents, his sister and his best friend, Denise all try to provide emotional support and distraction. Hilary Ainsworth books him into a dance-exercise class; during their regular Friday night RuPaul Drag Race viewings, Denise helps him look for silver linings, and suggests this is an opportunity to emerge from Giles’s shadow and to blossom. And that’s when Ted’s epiphany happens: he knows what he wants to do, what he’s wanted to do, deep down, he realises, since he was eight.

While walking their (now his) dog, Lily, Ted is building up the courage to follow his dream. Passing the Memory House retirement flats, he encounters a flamboyantly-dressed elderly gent whose gaydar picks Ted out straight away. Retired gentleman’s outfitter, Stanley Openshaw sadly confides that his fellow residents are disappointingly homophobic.

It's been ten years since painter and decorator, Oskar Kozlowski left Poland, and he feels like Lancashire is home. His dream is to do interior design: he sees the potential in every place he passes; but for now, he’s outfitting the new vegan café on St Lukes High Street. After what happened to drive him out of Poland, Oskar’s been a bit reclusive, but he admits to himself that he’s lonely. One hot Sunday, he decides to try an ice cream at Ainsworth’s…

As Ted agonises about how his parents will react when he reveals what he’d rather be doing than making and selling ice-cream, he’s distracted by a series of anonymous letters that arrive at work, letters vaguely warning him about his family. Is someone trying to sow dissent within the family?

Once again, Cain gives the reader a cast of characters who appeal for all their very human flaws. It’s delightful to see, in the friendships: Denise and Ted, Oskar and Marina, how they have each other’s backs, commiserating, cheering on and supporting emotionally. And it’s lovely to see the kindness that goes both ways between Ted and those who encourage him to follow his dream.

Cain gives his characters wise words and insightful observations: Ted eventually understands that he shouldn’t have to feel gratitude for being accepted for what he is; Denise tells Ted “You can only really be in love with someone when you’re not afraid to be your true self around them.” This is a wonderfully heart-warming tale and more from Matt Cain will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Headline

Ted is living a happy ordinary life with his gorgeous husband Miles when Miles confessed that he is leaving their marriage.Ted is devastated but with support from his friend Denise, family, and new boyfriend, Ted’s life takes a new direction and he invests more time and energy into his own dreams.
A great voyage of self discovery, as Ted faces his fears, talks down his inner voice and blossoms in his own right.
I listened to the audiobook which was very well narrated.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

MATT CAIN: BECOMING TED

When Ted’s marriage falls apart, he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Should he carry on being a shadow of who he truly wants to be and keep doing what others expect of him, or can Ted dig deep and chase his dreams?

Matt Cain has once again written something quite beautiful and inspirational.
With a diverse collection of characters, we see all that is wonderful about true friendships.
Ted and his best friend Denise are just fabulous together, but even they have some massive hurdles to get past.

If you want to read a positive and uplifting book, Becoming Ted is for you. There are laughs and some tears along the way, but this book is very well written, poignant, sensitive, touching and sweet.

Ultimately, let this joyful and heartwarming story be a lesson to us all. Find the people in life who lift you up and don’t let anyone be the cloud in front of your sunshine.

Five glorious, sparkly stars from me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Audio version narrated by Samuel Bernett, who does a fab job and gauges the tone of the book perfectly.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A charming, joyful and surprising story about love, friendship and learning to be true to yourself, Becoming Ted will steal your heart.

Ted Ainsworth has always worked at his family's ice-cream business in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke's-on-Sea. 

But the truth is, he's never wanted to work for the family firm - he doesn't even like ice-cream, though he's never told his parents that. When Ted's husband suddenly leaves him, the bottom falls out of his world. 

But what if this could be an opportunity to put what he wants first? This could be the chance to finally follow his secret dream: something Ted has never told anyone ...

FORMATS AVAILABLE: Ebook, Audio and Hardback.

LINK TO BUY: Becoming Ted: The joyful and uplifting novel from the author of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle https://amzn.eu/d/3UdR4Pu

With thanks to Netgalley and Headline Audio for an early copy of this title.

I chose to read Becoming Ted completely on a whim, so I wasn't even sure what to expect, but it took me totally by surprise!

Becoming Ted is a mostly character driven story and I grew to love Ted, our protagonist, pretty quickly. I loved his sense of humour and a lot of his story resonated with me. I would love Ted to be my BFF! He's surrounded by some wonderful characters in his family and friends, who are all very different but complement him perfectly.

Throughout the novel, I was rooting for Ted and I wanted him to find the happiness he so desperately deserved. I found myself giving him pep talks through the pages and there were moments when I could not help but laugh and cry along with him.

The author also raises some more serious issues through the novel and themes such as homophobia and the history of homosexuality, domestic abuse and family relationships all play a part in this engaging story. The author tackles them all brilliantly and with sensitivity, giving the reader time and space to process their own thoughts.

I listened to most of Becoming Ted using the audio book, which is narrated by Samuel Barnett. He's the perfect choice of narrator and he really brings the characters to life using distinctive voices for each one, including a lovely Polish accent for Oskar.

Having read 'The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle' by Matt Cain last year I was keen to read his latest offering and hoped this book would live up to the high expectations I had of it based on his last book. Whilst I don't think it was quite as good as 'The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle' it was still a thoroughly enjoyable read, narrated extremely well in the audiobook version.
The book centres around Ted, a middle-aged gay man,who once freed up from his not so nice husband Giles, embarks on a life-affirming journey to find his true self. The topics of friendship, identity, prejudice and love are skilfully explored with the aid of several peripheral characters who all play their parts in Ted's journey to freedom.
I did feel the book lacked a bit of pace at times but nonetheless was still a heart-warming, feel-good read.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

This book is bursting at the seams with heart, celebration, and empowerment. Ted, a newly divorced man in his 40s, decides to pursue his lifelong dream of being a drag queen (a detail which should DEFINITELY be in the synopsis, I was umming and ahhing whether I should read it until I found that out!). On the way he rediscovers his childhood joy of singing and dancing, uncovers family secrets, connects with queer people of all generations, and finds love in an aspiring interior designer.

It’s impossible not to immediately fall in love with Ted. As the narrative flits between the modern day and flashbacks, we very quickly root for him as we see the ways he has been made to feel like an outsider throughout his life. The relationships he builds over the course of the book are wonderful too. He goes on a real journey and it’s so heart-warming to be taken along for the ride.

The romantic element was also brilliant. The romance between Ted and Oskar was incredibly sweet, with the right amount of ‘figuring it out’ that happens at the start of any new relationship. The way they helped each other grow was a real asset to the story, and even before they’ve met I was rooting for them!

There is a lot packed into this book, at times too much. Pretty much every character has a tragic backstory, and by the end a few too many emotional climaxes/plot twist reveals were written as “X explained that…” followed by a summary often including very dark, heavy topics such as domestic abuse or persecution. For a story with such a joyful main storyline, almost every other arc was filled with tragedy and there were so many that they started to lose their impact. Had one or two of them been cut, or scaled-back-on, there would have been a bit more space for the remaining ones to be explored in more depth, and a bit more balance in the book as a whole.

The narration by Samuel Barnett brings all of the residents of St-Luke’s-on-Sea to life, with an impressive range of accents in his arsenal! I was hooked by the narration from the very start, finding any excuse to stick my headphones on and listen to some more.

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

After reading & loving #TheSecretLifeofAlbertEntwistle, I was so excited about Becoming Ted & had great expectations. But sadly, this book fell short for me, though it had a great potential.

Thanks NetGalley & Headline for providing me with both the audiobook & e-book ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Synopsis –

Ted Ainsworth is shocked about his husband Giles’ sudden decision to leave him. As he struggles to comes to terms with this, he also has to carry the burden of his family’s ice cream business that is in some financial distress. Ted’s heart has never been with running this ice-cream store, but has his dreams set elsewhere. Can the end of his marriage throw open an opportunity for him to pursue his passion?

Review –

The book starts with the sad news of Ted’s world turning upside down. Initially Ted comes across as a timid, unassuming, sweet & caring person who lets everyone walk all over him. Low on self-confidence & self-esteem, Ted can barely keep afloat.

The setting of the book is in a gorgeous seaside town of St-Luke’s on sea. I loved the small town charm & also the wonderful supporting characters of Denise, Stanley & Marina.

Samuel Barnett’s narration is brilliant in the audiobook. I thought he handled Ted’s voice & the voice of all the other supporting characters in an excellent way. I also enjoyed the humour & witty jokes, that is used generously throughout the story.

Apart from Ted, the other main thread is of Oskar, the painter & redecorator, who Ted “bumps into” shortly after his breakup. I really wished Oskar’s personality was different to that of Ted, but it felt like both of them had the same meek demeanour & introversions.

Cain uses an inner voice to let us know the thoughts of his characters & this became a bit too much when used with both Ted & Oskar. Unlike with Albert Entwistle, I think Ted’s character lacked depth. I couldn’t really connect with him or even Oskar.

The storyline itself was fairly predictable & the only thing that held my curiosity was the anonymous notes that Ted was receiving. Also, some parts were unnecessary – like Denise’s thread & Ted’s mother’s illness - which did not add anything to the story. Furthermore, flashbacks felt random & all over the place causing confusion about the timelines.

I hadn’t guessed who the mystery note writer was & when it was finally revealed, it wasn’t exactly a “wow” factor. Family secrets are suddenly out of the bag & it somehow all works out both in Ted & Oskar’s favours.

However, I did appreciate Ted’s journey of transformation & the support he receives from his little community. I was happy for him & cheered him on as he sheds his fears, embraces his dreams & gathers enough courage to set himself free – “becoming” his true self.

I think Matt Cain is a greatly talented author & he deserves credit for his research about the history of the LGBTQ community. I look forward to his next one.

Folks who love a book with a transformation trope with great LGBTQ+ representation will enjoy this.

Joyous, endearing, often laugh-out-loud celebration of being one’s own self and living life.

Gay or straight, this story is for anyone who’s had a relationship end, who doesn’t know where life is going, who has repressed dreams that they never fulfilled – Ted will give you a boost, a spur and a warm smile.

Ted’s cosy life with husband Giles is shattered abruptly one morning, marriage over with revelations his handsome spouse has been hiding a new love and dreams of adventure the quiet Ted cannot fulfil.

Broken, he throws himself into work, which sadly doesn’t help as much as it should, seeing as Ted works in his parents’ 100-year-old ice cream business and has never told them he likes neither ice cream nor working for the family firm.

As he tries to figure out firstly if he wants his husband back, or if maybe there’s a new life he could and should be aiming for, friends both old and new will play a role in helping Ted find the path he’s meant to follow in this one life.

I don’t want to spoil any of the absolutely wonderful plot points in this book. It was just fabulous in every way. So I won’t.

As you might guess though, there are potential new loves, a lot of soul-searching, a fair amount of singing and dancing, a wonderful best friend who gets her own chance to shine as a character, and a moving story of another man repressed and hurting himself by family, culture and his own guilt.

How these stories interact brings out a rainbow-coloured and joyous celebration of life, love and friendship.

There are a few weepy moments too, with stories told of homosexual loves in the past and how our own society not long ago treated people, which had me both angry and crying (on a public tram no less), but fear not – this is a tale to lift the spirits, fill one with determination, and leave you happier and with a lot more hope for mankind than when you started.

Please put this on a screen! My first book of the year, and an audiobook I’m going to keep and listen to again when I need a pick-me-up. Wonderfully narrated with a range of tones and voices distinguishing some more flamboyant and rather more understated characters beautifully.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audiobook.

Finding yourself, the real you is hard enough but when there are family expectations to contend with, it’s a real tussle with emotions. The story line tackles the dilemma and provides the unfolding journey. Nice little read. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

When Ted finds himself single after many years with husband Giles, he starts to re-evaluate his life and what he really wants to do with it. Stuck in a bit of a rut, he decides it is time to really shake things up and follow his heart for the first time.

This was a lovely listen with some great characters. It was funny while also addressing some bigger issues well. Recommended if you are in the mood for a heartwarming and uplifting read.

Another enjoyable book by Matt Cain. The narrator was exactly as I would imagine Ted to sound. I liked the storyline of his new romance with Oskar who himself was still in the closet. Ted decides its time for him to do what he wants rather than what his family want. Finding his inner drag queen means he also finds his true self.

Thank you for the advance listen - Albert is still my favourite though!

A Big Scoop of Joy

🧡 This warm, fun tale of self-discovery left me smiling. It has an underlying belief in the goodness of people, portrayed by a cast of quirky characters that wouldn’t be out of place in the Gilmore Girls’ Stars’ Hollow. Characters were multi-dimensional rather than seen as heroes versus villains.

💚 A heavier theme, and one I think is handled with care, is that of the realities of LGBTQ+ rights and societal treatment. It gets across the struggles, both daily and lifelong, of having to fight for acceptance for being yourself.
__________________________________________________
SOUNDBITE

🎧 A relaxing listen, easy to follow listen that had me hooked from the very start. Cleverly, the narrator’s accent is different when voicing thoughts than characters, including the main character, a signpost for the listener.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Headline Audio for providing me with an ALC in return for an honest review.

This was such an up lifting read. A homosexual man, who has been married for years, finds himself single and unsure who he really is. The story follows Ted, finding himself, what’s important to him and the people who really care about him.
Ted hadn’t noticed he was in an abusive relationship, but once he starts to be himself he can see the poison he was living with. New beginnings, drag shows and new friends give Ted the life he deserves. I loved all the key topics covered in this book- and more importantly I love Ted.
I listened to this as an audio book and really liked the voices and accents the narrator used to bring the story to life.

I enjoyed The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by the same author, so I was delighted to be approved for a copy of his latest novel, Becoming Ted, published in January 2023. Thanks to Headline Audio and NetGalley for my copy. For a change, I decided to listen to the audiobook version of this novel. The narration is really good and it was enjoyable to listen to.

Ted has been happily married to Giles for twenty years, but that all changes when he finds photos of Giles and another man. With the help of his friends, Ted tries to find himself and do what he’s always wanted, rather than trying to keep everyone else happy.

This is very much a character driven novel and the characters are very well drawn. I liked Ted’s character a lot, but his constant use of “ace!” became irritating. I wonder if I noticed this because I listened to the audiobook. Ted’s friendship with Denise and Stanley is lovely and they all help each other.

The book has funny moments but also deals with issues of acceptance, homophobia and abusive relationships.

I liked the story, even if it was a little predictable and cheesy at times. It was a light, funny read which I enjoyed. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a feel good read. If you’ve read The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, you’ll enjoy this book too.

Loved this authors previous work so was excited to listen to this book! I loved reading and listening about Ted, laughed out loud at the jokes and enjoyed his relationships with Denise and Stanley. Recommend this book and the audio version was fab!

If you loved Albert Entwhistle last year, just wait until you meet Ted Ainsworth, he filled my heart, made me cry, made me laugh and feel a lot of everything in between.

There’s absolutely nothing not to like in this novel, aside perhaps from Giles. I related so much with a lot of the characters but Ted seemed so very real. It was an absolute joy to go on his journey to drag with him. The scene is set so beautifully that I could smell the sea air and wanted some of the famous Ainsworth ice cream. You’ll love it. If you don’t I’ll eat my hat!! #Jorecommends

Ted seems like a nice decent guy, putting most people vefore himself.
His husband does not sound like a nice decent guy.
I wanted to like this more, some nice nostalgic moments, and raised a few smiles.
Mostly though, it felt too predictable, and I now feel I don't need to heat the word "ace" any time soon.

3.5⭐️

I had the audiobook narrated by Samual Barnett.
Its listed as a feel good lgbtq story.

It’s a character driven story. Ted’s husband leaves him, he is working in the family ice cream business, but doesn’t even like ice cream. He decides it time that his life took a different direction.

There are several engaging character driven stories around at the moment, i enjoy them. With this one I found the pacing just too slow.
It’s not just about Ted, it’s about his closest friends too.
Denise is such a great friend, my heart went out to Oscar who has been scarred by his parent’s relationship breakdown. Gile’s isn’t at all likeable, Ted is better off without him. I wasn’t particularly taken by Ted, he’s a bit of a nondescript character. His repeated use of ace is annoying. I did take better to his alter ego better Gail Force.
I liked Stanley, he has spent his life fighting for LGBTQ rights,it’s sad and moving hearing what he had to go through.
The characters grew on me by the end, although for me it’s only an ok read, it didn’t wow me.

I’d like to thank Joe Thomas from Headline for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a proof copy. I was a huge fan of Matt Cain’s book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, and could not wait to read his latest creation.

I have to say that Matt Cain has done it again and created a character that is so loveable that you can’t help but be invested in his journey. At the start of the book Ted is in somewhat of a crisis and struggling to find his way. He has a lot to carry on his shoulders, with helping his parents run the family business and adapting to a new way of life. Luckily he has the lovely Denise guiding him along the way. The friendship between these two characters was honestly beautiful, The encouragement and respect they have for each other proves to defy all odds and it’s clear from the start, just how much their friendship means.

It was pure joy to see Ted go from his vanilla lifestyle, where he’s is putting everyone else but himself first, to a knickerbocker glory sundae with all the trimmings, finally embracing who he is meant to be. The stories about his childhood made the journey feel all the more special, you could see how much he had suppressed for fear of letting people down or not being good enough. Seeing his personality shine and taking brave and bold steps towards his future, warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes.

Another special ability Matt Cain has is to bring the secondary characters into the story and let them steal a small piece of your heart. Whether it’s Stanley and his words of encouragement to Ted or Oskar and his troubling past, trying to find his place in the world, there is a lot of heart to be found.

This book will resonate with so many people, whether you are LGBTQ+ or not there is so much to take away from Matt’s wise words. We are transported to a whole new POV and some of it is very hard hitting, Oskar’s story in particular. I’d like to think we have all had moments in our lives where we’ve felt lost or unsure of what to do next and this book tells you that you’re not alone. It’s never to late to follow that dream or change your life, with a bit of self belief and confidence we can do anything. If it does all go bottoms up then there’s always the back up plan…ice cream!

Aww Ted you've just joined Albert in my heart as characters I've fallen in love with.
Ted is gay and is (or so he thinks) happily married to Giles, until he finds photos that suggests otherwise and Giles breaks up with him.
Ted is low on self esteem, partly due to the demands from his family and partly due to the toxic situation he was in with Giles.
It takes a dance class and a chance encounter with Stanley along with some encouragement from his friend Denise to start to think there may be more out there for him.
This is told mainly from Ted's POV, but also Denise and Oskar join in too, we see Ted blossom and flourish.
There is tough subjects to read including, domestic abuse, homophobia, suicide, abortion and cheating, but each is needed for the storyline and is written with care by the author.
I loved reading about Ted, laughed out loud at the jokes and enjoyed his relationships with Denise and Stanley. I could feel the support from them jumping off the page.
Highly recommend this book and I'm glad I have it on preorder.