This is the heartwarming and emotional tale of Arthur and Teddy coming out. Arthur has been married to his wife for 50 years when he makes the decision to come out with her support. His grandson, Teddy, faces the same decision and with the rest of his life ahead of him. This is a lovely quick read, I listened on audio book but I think this would be a good pool side read for holiday.

I really wanted to love this book, the synopsis intrigued me and I saw rave reviews of it being the ‘feel hood read of the year’ which pulled me in.

I think a lot of my experience was affected by the narrators of the audiobook. Although I loved that they had a different narrator for each perspective, and found the narrator for Arthur to be lovely to listen to, I thought the narrator for Teddy sounded a bit whiny and it made all of the young people seem really annoying. I do wonder if I had read the book rather than listening to it whether I’d have had a completely different take on them.

The story was an interesting one, with a 79 year old grandfather and his grandson in his early 20s both coming out as gay and the reactions of their family and friends and how it affects them. I understand that the character of Elizabeth was deliberately a difficult one to show how hard it can be for someone to accept that there is something they didn’t know about a loved one, and how many people are faced with homophobia, but she was so unlikable that it was difficult to take her seriously and her character arc just wasn’t believable or something I ended up caring about.

Some of the twists in the story were emotional and well done, but Teddy’s decision at the end of the book was a complete contradiction to one he’d made in the previous chapter which to me made it really unbelievable.

Maybe I’m missing something with this book and I fully accept that if I had read it in a different format I might feel differently but not being able to like any of the characters except for Arthur and Madeline made me really struggle with this one.

An enjoyable read about a young man and his grandfather who both ‘come out’ as being gay that was told from both their perspectives. Lots of likeable characters (especially Arthur) that had me listening whenever I could. The narrators were good, though I did slightly prefer the one who narrated Arthur’s POV. I will look out for more by this author in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of the audio book.

At nearly 80, Arthur is finally ready to come out, after hiding his sexuality from his family and friends for his whole life. Teddy, his grandson, is also on the verge of coming out, and together they navigate the ups and downs of openly being who you are.

I absolutely love the concept of this book. I had such high hopes for a positive and heartwarming look at how you’re never too old to come out. And to some extend it was.

I really enjoyed Arthur’s storyline more than Teddy’s, and found Teddy’s boring and predictable at times. Maybe I was more invested in Arthur’s because it’s so different and unusual from what we normally see, or maybe it was for some other reason, but this meant I enjoyed half the chapters way more than others.

I also found that the narrators had a big impact on the enjoyment of this book. I found the pacing of both narrators was a bit off, with some bits rushed and some too slow (in terms of the pauses between and during sentences) which just meant it didn’t flow. I also found it off putting when they did voices for different characters that seemed over the top and cartoonish. I don’t know if I would have enjoyed this book more had I not listened to it and read it physically instead.

That being said, I do appreciate the message of this book and how important it is for people to know it’s never too late to come out and that there are positive coming out experiences. I hope others enjoy this more than I did and that we see more older LGBTQ characters in the future.

There are two stories in "Arthur and Teddy are Coming out" - one concerns a 79-year-old married man called Arthur coming out, the other concerns his grandson Teddy, who also comes out. One of these stories is so much more interesting than the other.

There is an inbuilt pathos to a man whose life circumstances just did not allow for him to come out when he was young, and Ryan Love does a good job making it understandable why Arthur made the choices he made and also why his wife Madeleine is such a loyal companion for him, loving him in a way that goes beyond the physical.

Compared to that the story of a twenty-something man who has not managed to come out yet, even though his whole family knows his gay best friend, is much less interesting. It also hits on many tropes that feel too soap-ish. And that extends to other characters as well, with Elizabeth, daughter to Arthur and Madeleine and mother to Teddy as well as Ben, Teddy's co-worker/rival/love interest, Being the worst offenders.

The parts about Arthur and Madeleine - and Jack and James and Oscar - moved me to the brink of tears, while Teddy's sections frequently made me groan. Fortunately the better part will make the more lasting impression here.

On one level, this is a multi-generational heart-warming coming out story. On another, it deals with some dark themes and serious trauma. There is a slight danger that the blurb and comparisons to Mike Gayle, Beth O’Leary and Alice Oseman minimises expectations of the trauma in Arthur's past, so please check the Content Warnings ahead of reading!

I really liked the idea of the split POV, but Arthur's chapters were so much more developed and enjoyable. I'm not sure if it was the writing, the narration, or a combination of the two, but Teddy came off as much younger than 21 - and really quite annoying. As I result, there were parts that were quite jarring - jumping between the two storylines - as well as parts that felt like the pacing dragged. Elizabeth (Teddy's mother and Arthur's daughter) was absolutely awful and I struggled with believing her "redemption arc" of finally fully accepting her son and father (it was just that she needed time to come to terms with it, despite her initial bigoted response - and then the switch flipped! She didn't need to be educated/ held accountable, she just got it!). I really liked the premise of the book, I was maybe just expecting a bit too much.

CW: homophobia, death of a loved one, depression, mental health, suicide, conversion therapy, outing against will

This lovely debut novel tells the story of Arthur and teddy, a grandfather and grandson who are each on a journey of self discovery. Family dynamics come in to play, both supportive and unsupportive. The characters are well rounded and the plot was plausible and entertaining.
Thoughtful and wholesome , this was a lovely read.
The audiobook narrators do a fantastic job of making the characters come alive.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this joyful story.

3.5/5
CW: homophobia, public outing, mentions of death of a loved one, mentions of depression, mentions of conversion therapy, mentions of suicide
I think the publicity around this book made it seem a little more lighthearted than it actually is; while ARTHUR AND TEDDY ARE COMING OUT is very much a celebration of queer identities, a lovely tale of community support and family relations, it is also not afraid to go into darker places - from illness, to mentions of conversion therapy in the past, and a side plot revolving around a queer teen committing suicide, I found myself taken aback at times by the ~if not outright shift in tone, then at least dissonance between my expectations for the book and the reality of it.
I appreciated how joyous this was at its heart, how supportive if at times complicated the bonds between the characters were, and I appreciated the way Love gave his characters enough dimension and room to mess up and grow for them to feel like real people, and their experiences to be all the more authentic for their refusal to be sanitised and simplified; alas, while I appreciated the realism, I couldn't quite get myself to like one of our protagonist regardless of my appreciation for the realism of the constant ups and downs forcing him to grow.
I still recommend this to lovers of heartfelt, emotional celebrations of queer stories, but I would 100% suggest managing expectations, and especially being prepared for the heavier themes that get explored.

A really great read, thank you so much to the publisher for the ARC, I loved Arthur and Teddy so much as well as Arthur’s wife, unfortunately I couldn’t stand the homophobic reaction of Elizabeth. Never disliked a relative character so much.

Rounding up to three stars


I'd hoped for more from this, as it says perfect for fans of Mike Gayle.
Whilst I warmed slightly to Arthur, the rest of the characters left me indifferent.
There's a lot of dialogue in this book, almost like a play. Maybe it was due to this I struggled to feel any connection between the characters.
This wasn't a bad book, I just think it could have been better.
Many others will disagree, as it has many glowing reviews.

Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out - Ryan Love

Such a heartwarming enjoyable listen. I raced through this audio book as it just exuded happiness for me. Very enjoyable characters I especially adored Arthur. The narrators did a great job, and look forward to hearing more from this author in the future. This book just proves to us all that it is never too late to just do you! Many thanks Netgalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the advance copy in return for my opinions.

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.

I adored the two narrators, they had beautifully distinct voices that were so easy to listen to and easily understandable. 'Arthur' voice was reassuring, calming, and Teddy had a strong, clear tone that definitely got into the story well but for some reason for me didn't 100% match Teddy for me - but they complimented each other well.

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.

If you’re looking for a gorgeous, heartwarming read then look no further than this wonderful debut!

The story of a grandfather and grandson who each have their own journeys to coming out as gay, this is an uplifting, moving story which will appeal to so many readers. There’s romance, friendship, career, family drama, and there are so many wonderful characters! Arthur especially stole my heart, and I really related to the strong grandfather/grandchild bond between him and Teddy - it’s a relationship that just doesn’t get enough focus and which was probably the most important in my life so I’m grateful to see that reflected here. It’s also the kind of story which I have no doubt will make lots of the LGBTQ+ community feel seen and supported, but which will touch the hearts of an even wider audience, because it shows that it’s never too late to be your true self - something we all need a reminder of occasionally 💗

📍 Thank you to the publisher, author + NetGalley for an advanced review copy. All opinions are my own. Review also posted to @redheadbookgirl (IG), Goodreads and Storygraph.

The premise of this book sounded unique, intriguing and just kinda cute and I’m so glad I read it 🥹 A touching and wholesome story with strong messages of never being too old to find love + to be yourself, the pages were filled with warmth and humour.

The characterisation of both MC’s was brilliant, but Arthur was the star of the show. I read about a third of this, then actually switching to audiobook and absolutely loved the audio version. Narrated by Bruce Alexander, Arthur was sweet, loveable, charming and a character you couldn’t help but root for. He made me miss my granddad terribly🫶🏼 The rest of the characters were probably a bit underdeveloped and less likeable, BUT Arthur made up for this entirely.

I was particularly able to connect to this story having experienced my own Father coming out as gay when I was a young child. At the time this was incredibly confusing, and it was eye opening to look back and see how my views and understanding has grown and changed since about twenty years ago.

This book does deal with some big issues, with a lot of homophobic dialogue particularly in the first half, when Arthur’s family struggles to accept his sexuality. My only complaint is I would have liked to see both Arthur and Teddy make Elizabeth take more responsibility for her harmful actions + educated her, rather than the seemingly easy forgiveness that occurred because she turned up to their fundraiser.

𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒚 @ 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍
✨🍂

This was a slow burn, I struggled to get in to the story at first. Once I was in I was all in. I adored Arthur and he broke a little chip off of my heart, he is a kind and gentle soul. Teddy and Shaq were really sweet too. Elizabeth was a horror who came through in the end. This is a lovely debut novel, Arthur is an octogenarian married father and grandfather, with his wife on his side he finds the courage to find out, and inspires his grandson Teddy to come out aswell. The path is not without bumps. hurdles even. But they captured my heart none the less. A beautiful debut from Ryan love, with great narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and harper Collins U.K. audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

This book exudes happiness, wholesomeness and inclusion. It tells the story of a grandfather and grandson both grappling with the coming out process and the prejudices that still exist in our society. But there is so much more here....excellently well thought out family and friendship dynamics and a bit of a subversion of expectations when it comes to happy endings. For me, the hero of this story is Madeline, who was the epitome of grace and forgiveness. Maybe more focus could have been put on her, but ultimately this wasn't her story.

It is slightly on the cheesy side, but that is exactly what the intention is. It's hard hitting and thoughtful in all the right places and then cosy and heart warming where it needs to be. It is definitely reminiscent of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain, a book which I also loved.

I was given access to the audio of this book by the publisher via Netgalley. I loved both narrators, who did an excellent job, but once or twice the Scottish (I think) accent of one of the characters was slightly dubious. Also a bit at the end of chapter 17 or 18 was missing. Other than that, very much enjoyable!

More like a 2.75, but we'll round it up for fun. Life is too short to read books you're just not that into - even if you're halfway through.

'Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out' is massively missold. I went into this book believing it was a pairing up of grandfather and grandson, both of whom are gay (one newly out, one not yet out) and the two of them forging a new relationship and getting to know this community as they live more authentically. What you get is a plodding novel with two basically separate narratives with some melodrama thrown in to keep everything interesting. 'Gentle' as one reviewer called it, is certainly the word for it.

I think my core issue came from the tonal minefield. In one moment, Arthur would be telling harrowing - if easily wrapped up - stories about conversion therapy and the homophobic abuse he's suffering - the next, Teddy would be chatting away about going to the pub or getting lunch with the guy he likes at the office. It was so jarring to read. Like the author wanted to gather a dozen topics and, rather than picking one, just threw them all in and hoped for the best. There is no discernible plot here, we're getting bits and pieces that try to make a story but don't really. The twists were coming from a mile off and I didn't care enough about the characters to be interested in them.

I did have an issue with how some of the characters were written. Elizabeth, the mother, is the typical 'I don't like this you're a totally different person, I'm going to slap my son because he's talking sense' person - and she doesn't get much development beyond that. It felt like she'd been added to show that people won't always accept you, but it was taken to Eastenders-level proportions. I don't think the audiobook narrators helped here - all these intense moments, mixed with iffy writing, made for cringey listening.

It's like women's fiction, but with gay characters, if that makes any sense. By the time I'd hit the 50% mark, I just didn't care anymore - and I didn't want to prolong the misery. There will be people who love this book - hence its excellent Goodreads rating - but no plot and bad writing are the nails in the coffin for me.