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A review by creamsicle
Becoming Ted by Matt Cain
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC e-copy of Becoming Ted by Matt Cain.
Ted Ainsworth’s life is utterly perfect—until, one fateful day, it isn’t. After discovering photos of his gorgeous husband Giles entangled with another man, Ted’s decades-long marriage ends, and this forty-something is now a bachelor, forced to start all over… but is that really as bad as it seems? With the help of some friends, both new and old, Ted sets out on a journey of self-discovery, and along the way, pursues a new, exciting dream that he never even considered possible…
“Becoming Ted” is a quick and easy read that makes for the perfect light fare to bridge the gap between darker or thicker novels. While the story glances over serious topics, its focus on self-discovery with a positive attitude is strong. Full of developed characters with different life experiences and struggles (my favorite being Ted’s best friend, Denise), “Becoming Ted” has someone within its pages for everyone to root for. It’s not the best book I’ve ever read—I found the dialogue clunky and the main character frustrating at times—nor my favorite, but the optimistic messaging was enough to keep me around. Actually, my favorite part was the author’s notes, where I got to learn about the author’s real life and inspirations surrounding the novel.
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and heartwarming Netflix comedies will enjoy this life-affirming—and very British—slice-of-life story about a middle-aged man finally taking control of his destiny.
☆ ☆ - OKAY
CW: toxic relationships, abortion (coerced), cancer, references to homophobia, mention of suicide
Ted Ainsworth’s life is utterly perfect—until, one fateful day, it isn’t. After discovering photos of his gorgeous husband Giles entangled with another man, Ted’s decades-long marriage ends, and this forty-something is now a bachelor, forced to start all over… but is that really as bad as it seems? With the help of some friends, both new and old, Ted sets out on a journey of self-discovery, and along the way, pursues a new, exciting dream that he never even considered possible…
“Becoming Ted” is a quick and easy read that makes for the perfect light fare to bridge the gap between darker or thicker novels. While the story glances over serious topics, its focus on self-discovery with a positive attitude is strong. Full of developed characters with different life experiences and struggles (my favorite being Ted’s best friend, Denise), “Becoming Ted” has someone within its pages for everyone to root for. It’s not the best book I’ve ever read—I found the dialogue clunky and the main character frustrating at times—nor my favorite, but the optimistic messaging was enough to keep me around. Actually, my favorite part was the author’s notes, where I got to learn about the author’s real life and inspirations surrounding the novel.
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and heartwarming Netflix comedies will enjoy this life-affirming—and very British—slice-of-life story about a middle-aged man finally taking control of his destiny.
☆ ☆ - OKAY
CW: toxic relationships, abortion (coerced), cancer, references to homophobia, mention of suicide