How do. Grab yourself a Crunchie bar and join Albert on his emotional, funny, life changing journey to find the long lost love of his life.

Albert is a postman. He is a loner, keeps himself to himself and is terrified of actually having to talk to anyone. He has his well practised excuses to get away, should any of his customers try to start a conversation.

He has lived alone since his mother, who he cared for, died almost 20 years ago.

He is due to retire in a few months on his 65th birthday.

He has regrets about his life but comes to a monumental decision. He is going to do whatever it takes to find the love of his life. The thing is that it is a man and no-one knows he is gay.

As he begins his search he becomes friends with Nicole, a young single mum, who has her own challenges. He needs help with all this social media stuff!

As he begins to come out of his shell and reveal the real Albert he gains more friends and more support than he could ever have imagined.

Will he find the love and happiness he deserves and live happily ever after? You will just have to read it and find out.

Have tissues ready!


I just loved this book. I fell in love with Albert immediately. What a gentleman. The other characters are very well written and relatable, most are going through some personal trauma or difficulty in their lives just as we all are.

I highly recommend this book. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling similar to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I know it is going to stay with me for a very long time and will be one of my top reads of 2021.

Thank you so much to Headline Books for an advance copy of this gorgeous book. I will be highly recommending it.

Very readable book. Albert is a genuinely nice character, and I wanted to know how his story turned out. It was a quick to read book, and quite comforting in these troubling times. Would recommend as a light read. 3.5 / 5

Ohhhhh, this is probably the most heartfelt and special book that I've ever read.

Its a dual timeline between a young gay couple navigating what it means to be gay in a tiny village in the 1970s and a postman coming up on his 65th birthday and compulsory retirement and battling crippling loneliness. YEEEEEP, you're going to cry but I guarantee that you'll fall in love with each and every character before the end of the first chapter. It's hopeful and inspiring and I just want to give everyone a massive cuddle.

5/5

When we first meet Albert, he comes across as a gruff, no nonsense kind of individual who keeps to himself and who doesn’t suffer fools gladly. He lives alone with his cat, Gracie, and believes himself to be content, although the reader can see that he’s surviving more than thriving. As he approaches his 65th birthday, he’s hit with the news that he will be expected to retire from his job as a postman – a job he’s does since he was 16, and his only source of interaction with others. It’s a shock, and as he contemplates what the future might hold – and perhaps more importantly what it will lack – he realises that he has a lonely future ahead of him. Unwilling to accept the seemingly inevitable role of recluse, he decides to take action and track down George – his boyfriend from almost 50 years ago and someone who he feels he betrayed.

Albert is such a wonderful character, and I was with him every step of the way. At the same time, it’s clear that this is a mammoth undertaking, and having little experience of phones and social media, both Albert and the reader realise that he’s going to need some help. His journey is not one of transformation – of becoming something else – it’s more about accepting himself as he is, and not being afraid to show the “warts and all” version of himself to the world. It’s not easy, and there are a few false starts and missteps along the way, but Albert’s journey is one that will take him to unexpected places and that makes him realise that he’s shied away from human contact for reasons that are no longer necessary.

Albert makes some unlikely friends along his journey, but the one he becomes most reliant upon is Nicole. She’s a single mum in her early twenties and is trying to navigate a tentative relationship with Jamie – a student whose parents don’t approve of their relationship. She’s a tough character who is doing her best to keep her head above water, and I love her honesty and the support she gives to Albert despite everything else that she has going on in her life. And as Albert stops keeping people at arm’s length and starts to open up, he finds that those around him are more than willing to help in any way they can. It’s a revelation to him, and there are some genuinely touching moments throughout the novel as his friendship group widens.

As we learn more about Albert’s life, we begin to understand how Albert had become the character we first meet. We see the prejudice and persecution that gay men have faced over time. Even following the legalisation, the prejudice remained, with many facing slurs, stigma, and worse as a result. It's not the focus of the novel, but it provides a useful context as to Albert’s behaviour and his decision to hide away that aspect of himself is understandable, even though it shouldn’t have been necessary. I think that this novel acknowledges how far we’ve come since then, even though there’s still more that can be done.

Written with warmth and humour, this is an incredibly touching novel about second chances, being yourself, and the way in which friends can often be found in the unlikeliest of places. Absolutely brilliant – I can’t recommend this enough.

Albert Entwistle was a postman. It was one of the few things everyone knew about him. And it was one of the few things he was comfortable with people knowing.

64-year-old Albert Entwistle has been a postie in a quiet town in Northern England for all his life, living alone since the death of his mam 18 years ago. He keeps himself to himself. He always has. But he's just learned he'll be forced to retire at his next birthday. With no friends and nothing to look forward to, the lonely future he faces terrifies him. He realises it's finally time to be honest about who he is. He must learn to ask for what he wants. And he must find the courage to look for George, the man that, many years ago, he lost - but has never forgotten . . .

Join Albert as he sets out to find the long-lost love of his life, and has an unforgettable and completely life-affirming adventure on the way . . . This is a love story the likes of which you have never read before!

Oh Albert...I wanted to jump into the book and give you a big hug! I really enjoyed this book. The friendships that Albert develops during the book are heart warming especially with Nicole and he then goes out of his way to make sure that he does something nice for her as well.

Albert was a lovable character and I enjoyed his younger days stories as well as the up to date current events. An evening was happily lost to this great book!

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Headline Books.

Omg I just felt so sorry for Albert! An 64 year old man with nothing to live for expect for his job and has a routine which gives him something to do with his days! Ahhhh, bless him!!

In the generation that Albert grew up in, being gay was seen as a negative thing which is why he kept himself hidden and that led to him not liking socialising with other people.

I think Albert has anxiety as well because when he deviates from his comfort zone, it makes him very nervous as he can’t control what’ll happen next.

I just adored this book! Everything about it was beautifully written. I felt like I went on a journey with Albert as he thought back on his life whilst coming up to his retirement. I just loved the progression in his character and the confidence he developed through this.

A wonderful heartwarming story about being yourself and building a community around you. I loved Albert and the supporting cast and cared a great deal for them!

This was a beautiful book to read. I loved Albert, I thought he was a great character and the story of his lost love and his decision to allow people to get to know him was such a heartwarming story. What I particularly enjoyed was the back story of George and Albert. Their love story was told with sensitivity and it went a long way to explaining the difficulties being gay was back in the 50's. There was nothing smutty about it, it explored first relationships and what happens when you are torn apart and don't find each other again for over 50 years. Albert has got so used to being alone that when he is ill he realises he has nobody. He finds out he has to retire at 65 and wonders what the hell his life will be. So he becomes friends with people on his postal round and friends with work colleagues. This is one of those books that will stay in my memory.

What a great feel good book, not wanting to spoil the story line the book makes you glad to be alive.everything you wish for comes true in this tale of a wasted life not yet over. Hope we hear more of Albert and friends in the future, everybody should read this story to never give up and believe in the human nature to surprise you

This is simply beautiful. Albert Entwistle is a lonely lovely postman who for years has lived a life of solitude plus cat. He's about to retire and thinks back to a long lost love. He comes out to people one by one then a bit more of an announcement and as more people accept it, so does he.
I fell in love with Albert from the off and thought the acceptance of being gay/previous homophobic encounters and celebration of his sexuality was uplifting, empowering and heart-warming. Tackled sensitively yet on point, the author really gets this and handles it perfectly.
A lovely journey of self discovery, acceptance, great sub plots, bit of travelling across the UK and left Albert's world feeling all the better for having been there, A delight to read.

A pleasant read with a cast of quirky characters. A gentle, thoughtful storyline that explores gay acceptance and inclusion both historically and present day.

This book is charming and very readable, but I found it just too cliched and many of the characters unbelievable. Although it is a brave attempt at portraying the homophobia and the anxiety of being a gay male in the 1960’s which would leave to a man being unable to feel that they can come-out and actually hide themselves away from any social contact. Once Albert has come out, it was the immediate turn round of his colleagues and the way the people in his home town congratulate him, that i found unbelievable. But the two love stories complemented each other, but again. the mother changed her mind much too quickly. I was also somewhat annoyed that Albert retired so easily without looking back and was described as looking younger than his age etc. So all in all not a successful read for me, but i am sure that this may well be popular with romance readers.

‘It’s never too late to start your life’s big adventure…’

Albert Entwistle is sixty-four. He is introverted, set in his ways, a loner. He has been a postman in his hometown for most of his life. Life is quiet, it’s just him and his cat, Gracie, and it’s how he likes it..isn’t it?

Sadly, Gracie passes away. And then Albert learns that he will have to retire once he turns sixty-five. Albert begins to question his life; what will he do during his impending retirement? Who will be there for him? It is then that he finally realises that he is truly lonely and that he must be true to himself; he must find the courage to be honest about who he really is, and the most important of all: he must find George, the man he loved, but lost.
We follow Albert’s journey.

There are some moments in the book where I found things to be a little unbelievable, but for the most part this is a wonderful story and has a very important message.
For me, though, the absolute best part of this book is the character of Albert. I just fell in love with him, he is such a kind and endearing man.
There are some heartbreaking moments, but a lot of the time while reading I found myself with a big smile on my face, and I just felt like I wanted to give Albert the biggest cuddle.

My favourite quote (because it made me laugh out loud!): ‘As he contemplated his reflection in the mirror, he told himself that he’d gone from looking like a drink of water to a glass of vimto’.

My rating: 4/5

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this lovely book.
#NetGalley #TheSecretLifeofAlbertEntwistle

I had no preconceived ideas about what this novel would bring when I started reading it. It’s loveliness and warmth hit me full force. Such a beautiful book, lovely story and so wonderfully written it’s like a huge hug from your pal.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was a really enjoyable read, great storyline and most of all great characters. Really liked it.

An absolute delight to read .... Albert lives a very quiet mundane life full of routine working all his life as a Post Man extremely shy he keeps himself to himself never socialising and only his beloved cat for company . Life changes when Albert is told that having received the compulsory age for retirement and then his cat dies ... spending days in isolation he realises things need to change and looks back on why his life ended up as it did . Befriending single mum Nicole - Albert faces up to the fact that he is gay and he has never got over the love of his life George who his parents forbid him from seeing. What unfolds is a lovely story great characters and the true Albert living his real life

This book is terrific. Wonderfully written,you quickly start to care about the main characters and their stories. I completely love Albert and how he changed his life after facing redundancy. This book carefully explains loneliness and how much it affects different people. Also the struggles that gay men faced in the 60's & 70's, it was so well written and really made me think. I found myself completely rooting for Albert and admit to crying more than once during the book. Highly recommend this book, it's up there as one of my favourites.

Albert Entwistle is approaching his 65th birthday and facing compulsory retirement from the job he loves as a postman. He’s lead a lonely life and the prospect of an even lonelier retirement makes Albert assess his choices in life. With no real friends and nothing to look forward to, Albert looks back to the last time he was truly happy. It’s been 50 years since Albert felt true happiness with his long-lost love, George. He realises now is the time to accept who he really is and finally search for George, the man who has always had his heart.

My Opinion :

Oh Albert. What an absolute sweetheart. I didn’t think I’d find myself relating to a gay 65 year old postman as much as I did, but I think there’s a little of Albert in us all. I found his discomfort in certain situations completely relatable. That reluctance to join in big group gatherings and never being quite sure of the right thing to say.

It’s a poignant story of lost love and the loneliness that so many people experience. I was moved to tears in several places and hated to think of such a kind man feeling so alone. However the story is one of hope and optimism.

I found the novel really moving and laughed and cried as Albert searched for George. I absolutely loved it.

You can read my full review at https://mmbbookblog.com/the-secret-life-of-albert-entwistle-review-matt-cain/

This is a really uplifting and heartwarming story which is also incredibly thought provoking. Albert Entwistle is quite a sad character, he’s worked a postie for nearly fifty years but has had no one in his life beyond his mother who died years ago, instead he concentrates his feelings on his beloved cat rather than risk letting his actual feelings rise to the surface. Albert was in love fifty years ago but it was a forbidden love, one which he struggled with due to his incredibly bigoted father. This book is a great study both of how attitudes to homosexuality have changed over the decades but also how prejudice still exists in life. It was great to see how Albert unfurled throughout the book the more he puts his fears aside and how letting people into his life made it all the more richer.

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle is a novel about a postman set to retire, who gets a new lease of life to try and hunt down his lost love, George. Albert has been a postman all his life, living in a small Northern town and keeping himself to himself, living with just his cat since his mother died eighteen years ago. When a letter from work tells him that he's due to retire in a few months, he realises that he doesn't want to be lonely, and starts building up connections with people in the local community, and building the courage to look for George, the man he loved and lost in his youth.

The sort of book you have to call 'heart-warming', The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle has deep meaning underneath its light and sweet story and characters. In particular, it highlights the way people hide things for such a long time (like sexuality, but also the issues Albert had with his parents) and the importance of finding people you can talk to and be open with. The trauma Albert has due to these things in his past means he doesn't expect people in the present to be kind or sympathetic, and his amazement at people being supportive as he comes out to them shows how deep that was ingrained.

The main narrative is around Albert hunting down George, who is a big presence in the novel though mostly in flashbacks, and George being in the drag scene is a nice way for Albert to discover some of the gay culture he's missed due to fear. The subplot in which Albert becomes friends with Nicole, a young single mum whose boyfriend's family won't accept her, feels typical of the genre (person stuck in their ways makes a new friend who is different to them and pulls them out of their rut), but works well to show friends can come from unexpected directions.

The depiction of an older gay man coming out is important and poignant, and hopefully this sort of book will open the eyes of lots of people who wouldn't think about the issues faced due to decades of fear and trauma. It's an ideal story for this kind of book, a light read about someone who is lost and lonely finding hope and people, as it shows the need for different kind of community and also for self-acceptance. Not necessarily the kind of genre I'd usually pick up, but definitely the kind of narrative I want to read and see in the world.