Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Arthur & Teddy Are Coming Out

I have lots of feelings about this book. I’ve wavered between different ratings throughout the whole read. Some parts made me want to rate it 5 stars, others made me want to rate 3.
I adore Arthur and I liked Teddy. I was invested in every moment of Arthur’s story, but Teddy’s lost me several times. I think a problem was that the author was trying to fit too much and too many storylines into one book. He switched paths when he didn’t need to and continued storylines for longer than needed, including I’d say sometimes giving storylines to the wrong characters.
Note that this is sort of a love triangle and I’m not big on those.
Definitely a worthwhile read and I’d read it again. I want Arthur and Madeline and Jack to be my grandparents. I just have various emotions about the rest of it.

Content Warnings

bibliomania_express's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out by Ryan Love is a book about family, friendship, and seizing the moment. Arthur has loved seventy-nine years hiding his truth, but he's finally ready to come out. The shockwaves his announcement sends through the family affect his grandson, Teddy, who has been struggling to find his own way to come out. Now together they are finding a way to be true to themselves and find love and community amidst hardship.

This book was very cute and warm, despite a some major trigger warnings. Arthur is so adorable, and I loved his and Madeleine's enduring friendship. The author explores the hardships of being gay back in the sixties as well as some of the continued issues of homophobia today. I also enjoyed seeing the supportive community, from Cora at the café to new friends.

Love balances Arthur's and Teddy's narratives so well. While Arthur is trying to find a new normal after a long life, Teddy is still trying to figure out who he is. They both deal with past grief, current adversity, and the pressures of coming out and being out. Teddy is also dealing with new relationships and deciding what he wants.

This book is less a romance and more a family story, although both protagonists have a bit of romance. I do wish there was a bit more development of Teddy's ultimate romance, and some more scenes of Arthur.

Now, the major trigger warnings. There is an off-page suicide, discussions of suicidal ideation (past), discussions of an experience of conversion therapy, an off-page homophobic attack (past), and present day homophobia and microaggressions. These are handled with as much care as possible, although I will say the suicide was the most unexpected part.

Content Warnings

henriettaenam's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

romillyj95's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Content Warnings

sijago's review against another edition

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hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

A pleasant and well-intentioned story but it leans more towards fairytale than anything resembling real life. The character arc of each key character is set up and telegraphed very clearly. Characters make sudden lurches towards redemption and it is all very ‘happy ever after’. At the heart of the book there’s a sub-text that only when you come out can you be happy, which ignores any of the complexity than can exist around doing so. Some events happen so rapidly that I kept thinking my copy had missing pages. It is all very sweet but almost Mills and Boon sweet. If you’re looking for anything with a bit of bite then there may be other books on the subject that are a better fit.

Content Warnings

hayleyvem's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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