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bibliomania_express's review against another edition
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.
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
Graphic: Homophobia and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, and Physical abuse
Minor: Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Cancer
aoifeprettypurplepolkadots's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Suicide, Death, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
henriettaenam's review
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
Graphic: Outing, Homophobia, Death of parent, Cancer, and Suicide
romillyj95's review
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
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
Minor: Grief, Violence, and Cancer
hayleyvem's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Lesbophobia, Child death, Grief, Suicide, Homophobia, Outing, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Medical content, Cancer, Death of parent, and Chronic illness
Minor: Alcohol
traceyanderson's review
challenging
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Homophobia, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
crashingchandelier's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Death of parent, Outing, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
imrereads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This was good, but ultimately a bit too rom-commy for my taste. I have a weakness for older narrators, so the Arthur chapters were definitely my favourite. I loved seeing his growth, learning his life story and seeing him really enjoy the later stage of his life (+ his wonderful and supportive wife was a joy to read about).
I do wish there has been a bit more accountability for characters messing up, and I missed more focus on Teddy's relationship with his friends.
There is a really good cast of characters here though, and I think a lot of people with really like this. I'd definitely recommend this for fans of romantic comedies, especially if you also appreciate a big focus on familial relationships.
Despite being mostly lighthearted it does though on heavy topics, especially homophobia.
I do wish there has been a bit more accountability for characters messing up, and I missed more focus on Teddy's relationship with his friends.
There is a really good cast of characters here though, and I think a lot of people with really like this. I'd definitely recommend this for fans of romantic comedies, especially if you also appreciate a big focus on familial relationships.
Despite being mostly lighthearted it does though on heavy topics, especially homophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Cancer
thegouldfish's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide and Cancer
Minor: Death of parent, Outing, and Medical content
sophiareads_'s review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
***After some thought, I've decided to post my review of this now, as HQ is an imprint of HarperCollins UK, not HarperCollins US, who are currently striking for living wages and better diversity in publishing. I fully support the strike, and you should too!***
Content Warnings: homophobia, outing, suicide, cancer, violence (mentioned), conversion therapy (mentioned), death of a parent (mentioned)
21 year old Teddy isn't ready to come out - especially when his 80 year old grandfather Arthur beats him to it and takes the brunt of their family's reaction.
I'm sorry to say that this book was super meh for me. Going into it, I was expecting that the story would be building towards the eventual coming out of both of these characters, but actually, Arthur's coming out is the very first thing that happens in the book, and Teddy also comes out in the first half. I do kinda feel like I would have preferred the story I was imagining to the one I actually read, which was a bit of a let down.
I think this is largely a case of a 'not for me' book - I didn't jive with the writing style or pacing. I genuinely really loved Arthur's character and his relationships with Teddy (his grandson), Madeleine (his wife), and Oscar (the first man he goes on a date with post-coming out). The rest of the characters, though…oof. I found almost all of the side character super one dimensional and boring - even when characters had massive changes throughout the book, it felt like they were flipping on a dime with little to nothing in the way of development to make those changes feel earned. Also, the narrative of the story SO wanted me to have forgiven Elizabeth by the end of the book - Arthur's daughter/Teddy's mother, who is so aggressively homophobic for the majority of the book before seemingly randomly changing her mind in the last quarter. Absolutely not. Hated her guts.
All in all, I think this was a very sweet concept, and again - Arthur and Teddy's relationship was really sweet and wholesome. For me, it didn't really make up for the predictable plot and boring side characters, I'm sorry.
Thank you to HQ, NetGalley, and Ryan Love for providing the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to HQ, NetGalley, and Ryan Love for providing the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Moderate: Suicide and Cancer
Minor: Violence and Death of parent