One Love

A witty, uplifting, wonderfully honest novel about a decades-spanning friendship that might be something much more, from the acclaimed author of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle and Becoming Ted.
Full of heart, charm, and queer joy for readers of Steven Rowley, Linda Holmes, Bryan Washington, and Paul Rudnick.

Twenty years after they first met, Danny and Guy are returning to the confetti-strewn streets of the Gay Village for Manchester Pride. This weekend is a celebration of two decades of friendship, laughter, and adventures. It’s also where Danny hopes to finally reveal his secret. No matter how many other men he’s known, the only bond that has ever really mattered is the one that began the moment he met Guy during their first week at Manchester University.

For Guy, glimpsing Danny across the room that day was a revelation and a lifeline. Popular and outgoing, Danny arrived from his small hometown determined not to hide away any longer. He inspired Guy to come out, take risks, and pursue the kind of lasting relationships that Danny seems to have little interest in. Yet Guy knows that there is more to their shared history than he’s ever been brave enough to acknowledge. There are unspoken regrets, white lies, and convenient omissions—because Guy has his secrets too.

Over the course of one tumultuous weekend full of bittersweet memories and overdue revelations, both Danny and Guy will find the courage to confront who they were all those years ago—and who they might yet be to each other, and to themselves.  

Heartfelt and emotionally rich, as romantic as it is surprising, this is a story of love and friendship, and all the complexities that lie between.

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