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The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle: An Uplifting and Unforgettable Story of Love and Second Chances Paperback – May 31, 2022

by Matt Cain (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,444 ratings
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction
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“This rollicking romance entrapped me! True in its detail and its scope, it is amusing yet heart-breaking.” —Ian McKellen

Perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman and TJ Klune, this humorous, life-affirming, and charmingly wise novel tells the story of how the forced retirement of a shy, closeted postman in northern England creates a second chance with his lost love, as he learns to embrace his true self, connect with his community, and finally experience his life’s great adventure…

Indie Next List Selection | Library Reads Selection

Every day, Albert Entwistle makes his way through the streets of his small English town, delivering letters and parcels and returning greetings with a quick wave and a “how do?” Everyone on his route knows Albert, or thinks they do—a man of quiet routines, content to live alone with his cat, Gracie.

Three months before his sixty-fifth birthday, Albert receives a letter from the Royal Mail thanking him for decades of service and stating that he is being forced into retirement. At once, Albert’s simple life unravels. Without the work that fills his days, what will he do? He has no friends, family, or hobbies—just a past he never speaks of, and a lost love that fills him with regret. And so, rather than continue his lonely existence, Albert forms a brave plan to start truly living, to be honest about who he is . . . and to find George, the man with whom he spent one perfect spring and summer long ago.

One painful yet exhilarating step at a time, Albert begins searching for George and revealing his story to those around him. As he does, something extraordinary happens. Albert finds unlikely allies, new friends, and the courage to help others—even as he seeks the happiness he’s always denied himself.

Beautifully written, funny, and wise, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle is a book to fall in love with and to be inspired by, one that proves it is never too late to live, to hope, and to love.

A Note from Matt Cain, the author of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle:

“One of the things that inspired me to write this novel was all the joy I felt at seeing gay men like myself being embraced by British society. I think you'd be hard-pushed to find any other minority community in the UK that was as hated, feared and vilified as gay men were fifty years ago and is now as widely celebrated and loved. Acceptance of gay men has become a touchstone of British values within less than a decade, something that even the most optimistic commentators couldn’t have predicted. I wanted to write a book that would celebrate this. And I sincerely hope The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle makes its readers feel good about themselves and the part they’ve played in bringing about this extraordinary social shift.” —Matt Cain
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    A John Scognamiglio Book
  4. Publication date
    May 31, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    5.41 x 1.05 x 8.16 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    149673775X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1496737755
  8. See all details
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Popular Highlights in this book
What are popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. I love you a little bit more than yesterday and a little bit less than tomorrow.
    Highlighted by 192 Kindle readers
  2. No one ever stops to think I might have lived through experiences that have left me wary of opening myself up.
    Highlighted by 115 Kindle readers
  3. I can’t go on living like this. I might have thirty years left. I want them to be happy.
    Highlighted by 92 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

FICTION, Gay
FICTION, Gay

FICTION, Gay

FICTION, Gay

FICTION, Gay

Editorial Reviews

Review

Outstanding praise for Matt Cain and The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle

“This rollicking romance entrapped me! True in its detail and its scope, it is amusing yet heart-breaking.”
—Sir Ian McKellen
 
“A charming adventure with love at its heart.” 
—My Weekly
 
“A heart-warming, joyous love story—original, hopeful and totally charming.”  
—Adele Parks, author of Both of You
 
“Albert is the most delicious character and you'll be with him every step of the way.”' 
—The Sun

“Wonderful. Written with such a good heart, filled with joy and strength and optimism . . . inventive and fun but most importantly, true.” 
—Russell T. Davies, creator of It’s a Sin
 
“A life affirming story of lost love.”
—That’s Life

About the Author

Matt Cain is an author, a leading commentator on LGBT+ issues, and a former journalist. He was Channel 4's first Culture Editor, Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, and has judged the Costa Prize, the Polari Prize and the South Bank Sky Arts Awards. He won Diversity in Media's Journalist Of the Year award in 2017 and is an ambassador for Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, plus a patron of LGBT+ History Month. Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, he now lives in London and can be found online at MattCainWriter.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ A John Scognamiglio Book (May 31, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 149673775X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496737755
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.41 x 1.05 x 8.16 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,444 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Matt Cain

Matt Cain

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Matt Cain is a writer, broadcaster, and a leading commentator on LGBT+ issues.

He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, has written for all the major national newspapers, and is a regular presenter on Virgin Radio Pride. He's also an ambassador for Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, plus a patron of LGBT+ History Month.

Matt's first two novels, Shot Through the Heart and Nothing But Trouble, were published by Pan Macmillan. His third, The Madonna Of Bolton, became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever. In 2021, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle was published by Headline Review and Becoming Ted followed in 2023.

Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt now lives in London with his husband, Harry, and their cat, Nelly.

For more information, please visit www.mattcainwriter.com.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
1,444 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

JerrySyed
5.0 out of 5 stars this seemed like a movie about coming for age
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024
Verified Purchase
One just cannot stop themselves to fall in love with all the characters. It’s a feel good book, with a very positive outlook. Gave me butterflies as the story evolved. Light and easy read, which makes your heart flutter and believe in happy endings.
2 people found this helpful
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Marove
4.0 out of 5 stars The title is correct: Uplifting and unforgettable
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
A nice story. I only wish acceptance in the U.S. were as complete as it seems, from this story, in the U.K. Never would a gay man be invited to talk to students in a school in the U.S. about LGBT issues. Hopefully someday, if we survive the continuing bigotry of the last President and hypocrisy of the evangelicals. But hurray for both Albert and George! Need more stories like this!
11 people found this helpful
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Marshall C.
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!!!
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2024
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I was looking for a new gay fiction book and came across this one. I thought it was a sign that the author and I have the same last name. (Though the author is English, and I'm American so no relation). This is a brilliant story about an English Postal worker and his life after a mandatory retirement, and a somewhat unlikely new friend. The bond they form is so special, both wanting to help one another through the trials and tribulations of life, while addressing trauma and regrets from the past. I really loved this book and have already purchased another book from this same writer. Loved "Becoming Ted" as well !!!
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Sweetest Story Ever
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
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This was such a beautiful story, laughter and tears and joy and sorrow and I've never experienced anything like it before. Thank you, Mr. Cain for this unforgettable journey ❤️
One person found this helpful
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Eddy Lyons
3.0 out of 5 stars Fluffy but lovely story
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
I liked the feel good premise. It was mostly predictable, though. Not buying that Albert was 100% supported by everyone he came across. Yes, this day and age, it's not as big a deal, but the author seemed to sweep away any lingering prejudice. I would have liked to have seen a better description of the setting of Albert's youth, as it was hard to picture the young Albert and George being clearly set in the 70s. I'm also not sure how Nicole's character spoke to the theme. The author could have made a better connection between it and the main theme. Not to spoil the ending, but his pondering about his mother's motives were left too unanswered and seemed incongruent with her behavior towards Albert as caregiver.
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BhamGhostwriter
4.0 out of 5 stars An older, painfully shy gay British postal carrier's story of "hard-earned" forgiveness
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle tells the story, from Albert's point of view, of his life as a sad, lonely and soon-to-retire postman.

There are a number of [mostly] sweet flashbacks along the way of Albert's first and only love affair as a gay young man. But his homophobic parents (although his mother "sort of" redeems herself late in her life) soon put a stop to that and Albert ends up alone, very shy and withdrawn until just approaching mandatory retirement age with the British Royal Mail Service.

At the "forced" urging of his often delightful boss, Marjorie, he reluctantly agrees to be "Secret Santa" at his final office Christmas Party. And that's when the fun starts when Albert has to buy something "sexy" to wear in order to play his part.

After that, this terribly introverted man starts to open up a bit and even makes a few friends with people along his mail route; grudgingly [at first] getting involved in their day-to-day lives.

Of course that means that those new friends - along with boss Marjorie - also get involved in Albert's life as well; learning that Albert is a very closeted gay man and slowly learning about the sad loss of his first and only boyfriend 45 years earlier. And so they determine to try and reunite Albert with the great love of his life, George Atkinson.

There the story bogs down a bit (with possibly a FEW too many characters) but not terribly so as Albert and his new friends do their detective work tracking down the long lost George.

The ending is a tad abrupt yet uplifting.

Gay men in their 60s CAN find love again :-}
7 people found this helpful
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BK Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read and well written
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2024
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I loved the 'Englishness' of this book and the characters are loveable and believable. The LBGT message is straight on.
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Altivo
5.0 out of 5 stars I was lucky
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024
Verified Purchase
I had to survive the insults and bullying at school, but at that time I really didn't understand what it was about. I thought they just all hated me for being a "teacher's pet" and a top student. I was nearly done with university before I started to know what it was all about and that my family were supportive. Even so, I saw plenty of evidence of what Albert experienced and threw myself into support of the growing political revolution. Never suspected we could change things so much, or that I would end up married to a man I love. (42 years together this year!) Loved Albert's story here and how he came to the top finally.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Anvil
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely and warm
Reviewed in Germany on November 6, 2023
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A beautiful read with lovely characters and a wonderful message
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