Giles' character internalised a lot of this misogyny and homophobia, and in his desperate attempt to appear a certain way and be accepted, he also unleashed that judgement towards Ted. I grew up in Southport, and reading about Ted's surroundings transported me back to my childhood home, adding some nostalgia for me. Ted is not the only one on a road to self-discovery in this story of finding oneself and identifying and embracing and loving yourself as who you are. When Ted is pleading with Giles to not break up with him, to not abandon what they had - if Ted is going to squeal and mewl his pleas - I can not take it seriously.

I instantly endeared to the adorable Ted and was applauding for him all the way through his emotional story. It’s never to late to follow that dream or change your life, with a bit of self belief and confidence we can do anything. Denise and Ted had a very strong friendship and I enjoyed how very supportive she was of him and his desire to perform. The audiobook narrator was absolutely perfect for the job, as he had the right accent and voice which suited Ted perfectly. A beautifully written story of one person’s struggle to find himself and become the person he always wanted to be.A witty, heartwarming triumph, about the biggest challenge of all - living for yourself, not just for others, and doing it with gusto! Hij is zachtaardig, verlegen, bescheiden en onzeker, hij zet zijn dierbaren altijd op de eerste plek waardoor hij zichzelf en zijn wensen heeft weggecijferd en omdat hij zijn ouders niet wil teleurstellen werkt hij al jaren in de ijssalon van zijn familie terwijl hij eigenlijk helemaal niet van ijs houdt. Ted’s parents Hilary and Trevor (and sister Jemima) are the most nuanced I’d say as in you do like them but also some things they have done is a bit ‘ehh’-ey but like you do understand their reasonings and things… I dunno what to feel? Sadly, these few worthwhile and notable parts could not be saved from the abysmal and less than appealing way in which it was written.

The fact it’s definitely not an easy ride, with ups and downs, movements forwards and back and how no matter how much you might love someone and want what’s best for them, they need to come to terms with themselves first and truly appreciate they are who they are. The story is heartwarming, touching, funny, sassy, fiery, romantic, emotional, dramatic, delightful and eye-opening, and I recommend it highly! Sometimes good people do bad things and sometimes we have to decide whether what they've done is a dealbreaker or worthy of forgiveness. Ted has a fun best friend named Denise and a growing relationship with a sweet man named Oskar, both going through their own growth we get a front row seat for. But it's not easy to stand up for yourself when, for your whole life, you've been made to feel as though you shouldn't fully be yourself; when in fact, you've been shamed for trying to be your true self.

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 have brought this book up in conversations multiple times and the story's overall theme of putting one's self first is a question that I keep turning over in my head. All in all I had a super fun time with this book and I feel the need to own a physical copy which I intend to purchase at my earliest opportunity.