Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out: The uplifting, feel-good read of 2023

Product Information

Arthur And Teddy Are Coming Out is the first novel by British author, Ryan Love. Twenty-one-year-old Teddy’s first day as a trainee journalist at The Post isn’t ideal. His mother, outspoken journalist Elizabeth Marsh called in a favour to secure him the spot, and everyone seems to be aware of that, including his competition, a dishy fellow trainee called Ben. Teddy genuinely just wants to work and learn, but Ben King seems resentful. Sometimes, I simply don't know where to start when writing a review. "Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out" is a book that makes you feel a lot of things. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book, it's just that the story is sad, but also endearing and, at the same time, it makes you wonder why some people can't accept others the way they are. The title already says it: Arthur and Teddy are coming out. Arthur is Teddy's grandad, and after 50 years of marriage with his wife, Teddy's grandma, he's finally ready to tell the world he's gay. Well, to tell his family, but soon everyone will know. First of all, okay, not everything about this was terrible. Arthur and Madeline were very sweet and their story was (superficially) moving.

A book of two halves. Arthur's story is intensely feelgood in a Matt Cain sort of way, with an octogenarian embracing who he is and getting over the traumas of a lifetime of homophobia. It's perhaps a bit one-note, an exceedingly bright and cheery note where everything goes super well, but given the amount of My Policeman type gay tragedy lit out there, many will embrace this rebalancing of the scales, not to mention the welcome focus on a much older man. His life-enhancing relationship with his wife is a terrific element.Double coming out story with a grandfather and grandson. Grandfather Arthur's wife knew all along he was gay, she also wanted to get married to escape pressure to marry someone horrible, so they made the marriage work and she's completely supportive of his desire to come out at 79. Along with his coming-out journey (which inexplicably takes place mostly in the national media) there's also his grandson Teddy who ends up in a love triangle with his best friend and boyfriend. Love gives his protagonists insightful observations and wise words: Arthur tells Teddy “Life is full of sacrifices, Teddy. We’ll make good and bad choices, but we shouldn’t let regrets define us. I’m not perfect, but I hope when I’m not here that the people I love will remember me for the good things and know I did my best for them.” A heart-warming and thought-provoking read. Arthur and Teddy have always been close, and now they must navigate first loves, heartbreak, and finding their place in their community. But can they – and their family – learn to accept who they truly are? About This Edition ISBN:

A joyful, big-hearted story about family, friendship and finding your place in the world' Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library

Featured Reviews

Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out is a debut novel by Ryan Love. The story opens with Arthur, Teddy’s 79-year-old grandfather, coming out to his children. Teddy has a secret of his own: he’s also gay… Ryan shares a few words below. What I liked most about the book was that the characters were well fleshed out and the relationships were believable: the friendship between Teddy and Shakeel and of course the relationship between Teddy and Arthur as the duality of their coming out stories unfolds. Even though I had a bit of trouble with the pacing, I did still enjoy this book. The bond between Teddy and Arthur is amazing, and you can really see both of the men grow into even more amazing human beings. He shows that life begins at whatever age the individual chooses; that we are responsible for our own happiness and that being old doesn’t mean that life is over. Proving there's no age limit on following your heart and finding love! I'm totally #TeamArthurandTeddy.' Heidi Swain, Sunday Times bestselling author

It's filled with cliché after cliché, it has a whole heap of shallow characters who never actually grow from the situations and the plot was a series of very middle-class dilemmas.I could easily see this story being made into Netflix show, it would help so many people going through the same thing, even if you’re the same age as Arthur or Teddy it doesn’t matter as it appeals to all the ages. The book is completely unique in a genre that can often feel repetitive. It features a very clever split narrative. It jumps between Arthur, a 79 year old grandfather who has just come out to his family, and his grandson Teddy, who is also gay and struggling to find his place in the World. In this genre, you would most often see the two love interests sharing the narrative. Having grandfather and grandson sharing the spotlight instead, this book has torn up the rulebook completely. It was a brave decision to stray away from something so familiar, and in my opinion, it works really well. Big thank you to Harlequin for sending me an advanced copy of this book, it has been nothing short of a joy to read this.

Recommended Reads about Race, Racism, and Demarginalizing History - Necessary Non-fiction You Should Read for Life-changing Insights and Impact What really makes the book shine though, is the bond between Teddy and Arthur. They really helped each other grow as characters and into their own identities as the book went along. You often see the male family members as antagonists in this genre, but that is absolutely not the case here. I'd love to have read something like this when I was younger and finding myself. This is a fantastic debut and deserves a lot of success. I just think the author had a great idea but churned out something predictable and without any real depth or meaning. Sadly a miss from me. The other characters add real texture. It’s so hard to judge Ben accurately, making him fascinating, and Madeleine is a complete joy. I loved the way Shakeel’s presence bubbles along so that he helps define Teddy in the reader’s mind.The concept of couples saving each other from ostracization by marrying is not a new one but is perhaps one that is thankfully less familiar to younger people today although people are still under pressure to conform to outdated societal norms and this book explores that with a touch of humour and a great deal of compassion and empathy.