I wanted to read this as the author comes from my home town and I have read and enjoyed his other books.

Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one as mush as his others and I think this is a personal thing. I enjoyed the older characters in his other books more, as an older person myself I sometimes find it difficult to connect with younger characters, finding them a bit whiney and this was the problem here.

I enjoyed the story overall but just found some of the actions of the characters questionable at times.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.

We join Guy and Danny as best friends on their first trip to Manchester Pride, the city where they met 20 years ago at university.
The book then easily flits between the different stages of their friendship as they move through various jobs, partners and family drama.

This was such a lovely read, both uplifting and enlightening. I’ve never given much thought to the various aspects of the life of a gay man growing up in Britain but it was so thought provoking to hear about their different experiences, and how they were treated not only by their friends and relatives but also the prejudice that Danny faced from the gay community itself.

Would highly recommend and thank you to Matt for writing such a wonderful book

An interesting premise that didn’t quite work out for me. While I usually enjoy Matt Cain‘s work, One Love just wasn’t for me.

A gorgeous, nostalgic read by Matt Cain, as he explores unspoken love and the pains of adulthood in this compelling novel that took me right back to nights out in Manchester. Cain has an eye for well drawn characters in familiar situations, and One Love is no exception

Such a lovely heartwarming story about two men starting university and their lives openly gay and their friendship through the years. Lovely book

Ok, I have been sitting in front of the screen for longer than I’d like to admit, and, after a few false starts, I still don’t know how to review this book. So, let’s start with the basics: I loved it. Which is however too simplistic and doesn’t even start to describe the rollercoaster of emotions that I went through while reading.

Alternating between 2002 and 2022, and between the points of view of Danny and Guy, we learn how the two met at Manchester University and immediately became best friends. Both gay and, respectively, fresh out of the closet and still in the closet, they help each other navigate the world of gay clubs, comings out and first boyfriends.

Fast forward twenty years and, both single for the first time, they travel to Manchester to attend Pride and walk down memory lane. They are both aware of the connection that’s always been there between them, but neither of them can foresee how their weekend together will end… and, in a way, neither of them really knows how they want it to go.

Is this a love story? A friendship story? A you-can’t-quite-pigeonhole -love story? Whatever story this is, it is beautifully written. It is funny, evocative, emotional, thought-provoking and, for some (ok, for me!), perhaps even nostalgic. I have never been to Manchester and now I can’t wait to retrace Danny’s and Guy’s steps… although I might skip an underground sex club or two!

Matt Cain is one of my go-to authors now, and I am happy I had the chance to hear him talk about this book at Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton last month. It made my reading experience even better!

This was a miss from me unfortunately it just didn’t connect with me and I’m unsure why. I think I didn’t like the constant switch from past tense and present. I didn’t really like the characters. I will always read a Matt cain book as his other book was amazing.

A really beautiful and moving book, I found myself feeling emotional throughout. I enjoyed the dual timelines, letting us explore both the history of the two main characters while also seeing the present culmination of those years. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, I had to see where this story led. Seeing that each of the main characters has similar insecurities about themselves and lack of feeling good enough and the different ways in which that shaped their decisions was interesting and heart-breaking. I found myself both wanting them to be together, but also for Danny to find someone to love him. But one of the greatest messages of the book is that really you have to love yourself first. And how it looks at the definition of love and what a relationship 'should' be, is something I hadn't read before but it was very fitting for these characters. While the ending may have been quite open, it was very hopeful, and that's something that's always good to see. Really enjoyed the book. Solid 4 stars.

Thanks netgalley for the arc!

I have given this book 3 stars because, because while I enjoyed the story, I struggled to understand how the characters made the various decisions which they did.

The switching back and forth in time and between different character perspectives added a layer of depth to the story, and it was a great way to show the reader a bit more about each character.

I struggled with trying to like the characters, which is, unfortunately why I’ve marked this down from 4 stars to 3.

Overall though, a good read with a story that really highlights the difficulties facing gay people, not even that long ago.

2.5

One Love was a bit of a disappointment for me and I'm a bit gutted because I absolutely loved The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. I found this very drawn out and honestly, I didn't find Guy and Danny very likeable. Danny was very whingey and Guy just wasn't very nice. Loved Eileen though. She was an absolute star.
I will say that Matt has a great way of writing about how hard it is for gay people to come and and the fear of not being accepted. It's absolutely heartbreaking to think of anybody being afraid to do so and potentially being judged or worse. That part of his storytelling I did find interesting but overall, One Love fell quite flat for me.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I loved the characters and enjoyed read about how their friendship develops over the years.
It was a joyful and enjoyable read. I am looking forward to reading the next book by Matt Cain, having enjoyed his earlier books too.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful and thought-provoking read! From the very first page, I was captivated. Matt has a talent for crafting characters that come alive from the outset, evoking a range of emotions within me. I particularly adored Danny and Guy! Without a doubt, I'll be recommending this book to everyone I know!

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

3.5/5.

Really enjoy Matt Cain's books, always carefully and knowledgeably written, this is no exception, a story of two friends, their lives, their different coming out journeys at university where they first meet. We go between the two timelines from 2002 when they first met and 2022 when they are at Manchester Pride and one wants to be honest about his feelings, in amongst the partying! Cracking read.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The main reason I wanted to read another of Matt's books was because I loved The secret life of Albert Entwistle so much. Such a beautiful story about coming out in later life.
One love just didn't have the same feel. That's fair enough; it's not the same story or characters. But I just felt this was a bit boring to be honest. Two guys meet at uni, both fancy each other but do nothing about it. Meet again in 20 years later to go to Manchester pride and still fancy each other. Will they get together? That's really all there is to it.
I think for a gay man this will mean so much more and I would highly recommend it as a read. For me it just wasn't right but I'll definitely be buying more of Matt's books in the future..

Congratulations to Matt Cain, it must have been a big step to write such a personal and intimate story and he has done himself justice in how he has told his tale. Based on his own experiences of growing up gay in a time when it wasn't so accepted, and the internalised shame and dislike that can stem from not feeling accepted for who you are.

Dan and Guy have been best friends for 20 years; Dan has always been in love with Guy but buried it deep under layers of drink, casual sex, and rude jokes. Dan has always been open about being gay, and from the moment he starts university, embraces his new found freedom, living up to all of the gay stereotypes that are thrown at him. Guy is less open at first; his traditional middle class family and friends aren't very supportive of his sexuality, and he finds the gap between home and university is ever widening.

Over the years, the two friends fall in and out of relationships, Dan never being brave enough to risk telling Guy how he really feels. Until now, 20 years later, when the two of them go back for a weekend in Manchester and Dan resolves to show his true feelings in the hope of starting a long overdue romantic relationship.

I felt so emotional reading Dan and Guy's stories; it is hard to remember how different LGBT life was even 20 years ago with some sectors of society being more openly homophobic - it seems almost another world. But for people growing up at that time, the internalised feelings that are set in childhood and adolescence are so hard to navigate, and can affect decisions and actions for years to come.

This is the most queer of Matt's books to date - I have loved his very wholesome love stories, but One Love feels like it is closer to contemporary lit than his previous books. It is perhaps the most realistic friends-to-lovers narrative that I have read.

Mainly because, despite all marketing, it isn't a HEA romance novel. Instead, it is an exploration of how unrequited feelings can impact a long term friendship, the person that experiences them and the choices they make. Danny has unwittingly planned his whole life around a potential with Guy. It has led him to act in ways that don't feel like the real him and he doesn't know how to get out if the expectations he assumes others need from him.

I get that, I think most of us have been there in one way or another with someone. This is a very good look at the ways this can really affect a person.

Neither Danny or Guy felt particularly likeable to me - though, I do always love to see the northern-ness of Matt's characters. I actually think they would make a terrible couple, they are both selfish and bring out the worst in each other. This book feels to me more like Danny's experience of learning that he is allowed to demand more for and of himself.

The book is set over two pov and two timeliness which meet up over the course of the book. It is very well done - I just felt that the narrative voices of the pov didn't feel any different in maturity when 20 years apart. That said, I'm pretty sure that was a purposeful character decision exploring the way this friendship had kept Danny back in other areas of his life.

I can't believe I haven't heard of this author before! Matt Cain's writing is beautiful. You'll adore this book if you're a fan of friends-to-lovers stories. It tells the story of Guy and Danny, who have been friends for twenty years but have secretly fallen in love with each other. The book takes readers on a funny, sensitive, and light-hearted journey of will they, won't they? The dual timelines add a great concept to the story, allowing past events to intertwine with the present.

The book is set at Manchester Pride, and Cain's exquisite writing talents bring the vibrant atmosphere to life without readers having to attend the event. The language and setting are written perfectly to capture the essence of the event.

If you're looking for an easy-to-follow, absorbing, and light read, 'One Love' is the perfect book.

I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author in the future and highly recommend this new release.

I love Matt's books and this one is no exception. Quirky title and hoped it would as good as it sounded. In fact, it was amazing. A lovely read for those winter nights. Thank you for the ARC.

Fantastic uplifting story, one to cosy up with on a cold day in front of a fire, beautiful story about love, life and friendship.

“Positivity seeps from every page” - The Times
 
“A great big hug of a book” - Michael Ball
 
“Filled with joy and strength and optimism” - Russell T. Davies
 
I feel like we’ve read different books entirely.  Maybe I’m not the target audience, or maybe I missed the point entirely – I’m not sure.
 
One Love is based around two men, Guy and Danny, that met at Manchester Uni in 2002 – they formed a strong friendship and explored the good and bad of gay life in that time and place.  Fast forward 20 years and they’re back in Manchester for Pride to reminisce and figure out what they really mean to each other.
 
Someone pass me a thriller, stat!
 
Sadly, I wasn’t a huge fan of this book.  Whilst it had it’s moments, it felt cliched and I wasn’t really invested.  The repetitive use of words like “babe” and “princess” drove me mad after a while, as did the incessant fat shaming.
 
I didn’t care for either of the main characters. Both were flawed and not particularly likeable. Danny is clearly grappling with deep feelings of shame, but he comes across as petulant, insecure and self-destructive – and this doesn’t change.  Danny’s whole identity is his sexuality – there’s nothing more to him.  Guy, struggling with his internalised homophobia and obsession with appearing straight, treats Danny poorly, essentially keeping him around to boost his ego.  
 
There was NO character evolution between their time at university and them 20 years later. Without the year as a chapter heading, I would have sworn this was set across one year and not 20. This may have been the author demonstrating the cyclical nature of ingrained patterns and behaviours, but for me, it just sounded a little repetitive.
 
Then, 20 pages before the end they suddenly became these decent and enlightened people, miraculously now seeing the past 20 years with remarkable insight and clarity.  It felt like a RuPaul ‘if you can’t love yourself’ and Jerry Springer’s ‘Final Thought’ moment spliced together.
 
I hate being negative about a book; so I must say this is just my opinion. There are lots of four and five-star reviews for this here on NetGalley. It just didn’t work for me.
 
Thanks to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.  All opinions are my own.