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.
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.”
