No one does stories of queer joy, love and belonging quite like Matt Cain. His bestselling novels – The Madonna of Bolton, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle and One Love – are the kind of warm, uplifting books that celebrate the richness of LGBTQ+ lives. His latest, The Castle of Stories, is also the first title from Pansy, the independent publisher he has set up with his husband Harry to champion queer books by queer authors for all readers, reports BritPanorama.
But what books have shaped his life and writing? Here, Cain shares his five favourite feel-good LGBTQ+ reads…
Leading man by Justin Myers
“I have loved every single one of Justin Myers’s books, but this is my favourite. Set in Edinburgh, it is about a thirtysomething drama teacher called Leo, a people-pleaser who is content to be in the background. But then he gets a demanding new boss and a gorgeous love interest from the past reappears – and both make him question the life he’s settled into. Could he deserve more?
Like all of Myers’s books, Leading Man has fantastically drawn characters, sparkling dialogue, terrific twists, and some ingeniously crafted comic lines. I challenge you to find a more entertaining gay romcom.”
Sphere, £9.99
Just by looking at him by Ryan O’Connell
“The debut novel by this American comedian is an absolute riot. Lead character Elliott is a TV writer who has a gorgeous boyfriend and seems to have the perfect life, but in reality is a hot mess, struggling with alcoholism and riddled with insecurities, mainly around his cerebral palsy.
“When he hires a sex worker, it all starts to unravel. But this sets Elliott on a search for self-knowledge and a journey towards loving himself as a queer, disabled person. Just By Looking at Him is super sharp, staggeringly funny, hot as hell and also stealthily moving. It left me breathless with admiration.”
Sphere, £10.99
Human, animal by Seth Insua
“This beautiful, wise and wonderfully crafted book is about a dairy farmer’s struggles to keep his family business afloat and his troubled relationship with his non-binary child, who has just returned home from university. The tension between the two is handled with compassion and sensitivity, as is the child’s exploration of their gender identity.
“The rural setting is unusual for a queer-themed novel and the character’s need to get away to the city in order to blossom into their true self is explored with nuance and subtlety. I love working dark secrets from the past into my books and this one has a brilliant past-tense timeline during which a secret unfolds that threatens to further disrupt the family dynamic in the present. Human, Animal is moving, sometimes upsetting, but ultimately hopeful.”
Verve, £10.99
Making it by Laura Kay
“Laura Kay is an incredibly talented writer who deserves to be a household name. I could recommend any of her novels but her latest, Making It, is funny, uplifting and romantic, and I think probably her best.
“It is a sensitively drawn, powerful portrayal of a queer life with mental illness and finding a way out through creativity. There is a terrific cast of characters and so much heart – no one does queer friendships better than Kay. You will be rooting for protagonist Issy, you will laugh and sob – often on the same page – and come away feeling buoyed up with queer joy.”
Quercus, £9.99
One last song by Nathan Evans
“All my novels feature older queer characters because even those with seemingly ordinary lives have extraordinary backstories about living through prejudice and persecution – if not illegality. And there are two cracking older characters at the heart of One Last Song.
“The pair meet when they’re confined to a care home and are subjected to the homophobia of the other residents – but rise above it to begin a relationship. One of them goes by the name of Joan and has a filthy sense of humour that had me roaring out loud. The other, Jim, has to battle with his self-imposed barriers and conquer his reluctance to let love in. One Last Song is an adorable, touching book and one that overturns expectations and assumptions about elderly people. And it will have you cheering for Grey Liberation.”
Inkandescent, £9.99
Matt Cain’s latest novel ‘The Castle of Stories’ is out now in paperback (Pansy £9.99)
