If Ted Ainsworth were to compare himself to one of the ice cream flavors made by his family’s company, famous throughout his sleepy Lancashire hometown, it might be vanilla—sweet, inoffensive, and pleasantly predictable. Stanley reminds readers of how some people still hold on to old-fashioned and outdated views, and how recent LGBTQIA+ history and acceptance truly is. The premise is fab (43yo man is brutally dumped by his husband, reevaluates how much he's been putting himself last for others, and erupts out of chrysalis as drag queen, with new romance) and there's a wonderfully conceived cast, with steadfast if flawed friends, a really moving defiant elderly gay gentleman, and Polish new man with his own heavy baggage. Dit is een warm, gevoelig en humoristisch verhaal over hechte vriendschap, familie, relaties, vertrouwen, communicatie en je dromen achternagaan, over trouw zijn en jezelf écht leren kennen. I liked how we see Ted grow in confidence, learn to stand up for himself and reject taking the easy way out when it is offered.

I would be remiss if I didn't say that I applied the various terms into my own creative writing, as well. The story kicks off with Ted being dumped by his husband, a man he's been with for 20 years, and this event is the catalyst for Ted to make changes in his life; losing weight, finding love and becoming a drag queen. Sadly, my brain would not allow me to exit, as the ever-pressing question would forever linger in my mind, that perhaps there is a chance it would get better.My enemy with Matt Cain was the writing and the choices made to make this story stand out in a positive light, rather than the unsavory results that it garnered for me. Passing the Memory House retirement flats, he encounters a flamboyantly-dressed elderly gent whose gaydar picks Ted out straight away.

Becoming Ted opens on Ted Ainsworth's husband leaving him, and causing confusion to seep into his life. As I mentioned above, every character in this book has a rich and complex history, and our three main characters also have ‘problems’ they need to overcome through personal growth. Hilary Ainsworth books him into a dance-exercise class; during their regular Friday night RuPaul Drag Race viewings, Denise helps him look for silver linings, and suggests this is an opportunity to emerge from Giles’s shadow and to blossom. I do not think it is wrong for someone to prioritize their own happiness, but also, as people who live in a community, we need to consider how our lives touch others, and the intentional and unintentional impact we have on others. I don't *want* to sit here and enumerate things I didn't like because I loved the heart of this book, but for me, the text really needed a thorough redraft to sing as it should have, and I'm actively cross it didn't get that.Along the way we meet Ted’s family, his best friend Denise Love and a wonderfully interesting and knowledgeable character Stanley Openshaw. I loved seeing how he was brave enough to challenge himself - to put himself first for a change - to have the confidence to go for it. Ted's growth as a person, recognizing his true worth, seeing the glimpses of his life showered in mistakes that he hid behind and eventually shedding that cover - and embracing the power to be proud of who you are. The story is heartwarming, touching, funny, sassy, fiery, romantic, emotional, dramatic, delightful and eye-opening, and I recommend it highly!