Matt Cain’s One Love is a beautifully heartfelt story about friendship, identity, and the messy, complicated shapes love can take. Set in Manchester’s vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, it follows Danny and Guy across two decades, as they navigate who they are and what they mean to each other.

The novel moves between two timelines:
• In 2002, Danny starts university in Manchester, finally ready to explore his identity after years of hiding it. He meets Guy, another student with his own complicated past, and the two form an instant connection—deep, electric, and not so easily defined.
• In 2022, they meet again at Manchester Pride. Now in their forties, they’re older, maybe wiser, but still carrying pieces of the past. Danny still has feelings for Guy and wonders if now—after all these years—he should finally tell the truth.

The dual timelines work so well here, showing how much (and how little) we can change over time. Cain writes with such warmth and clarity—it’s emotional without ever being overly sentimental. You feel for these characters, not just because of what they’ve been through, but because they feel real.

One Love is moving, sincere, and full of heart. It’s about the power of connection and how love doesn’t always fit into tidy boxes. Whether you’re drawn in by the romance, the nostalgia, or the questions of identity and belonging, this is one of those stories that lingers.

Matt Cain’s One Love is a heartfelt exploration of friendship, identity, and the complexities of love, set against the vibrant backdrop of Manchester’s LGBTQ+ scene. Spanning two decades, the novel delves into the lives of Danny and Guy, whose bond defies conventional labels.

The story unfolds through dual timelines:
• 2002: Danny arrives at Manchester University, eager to embrace his identity after years of concealment. There, he meets Guy, a fellow student with his own secrets. Their connection is immediate, setting the stage for a deep, albeit undefined, relationship.shortbookandscribes.
• 2022: Now in their forties, Danny and Guy reunite at Manchester Pride. Danny, still harboring feelings for Guy, contemplates revealing his long-held secret. The weekend becomes a pivotal moment, challenging both men to confront their past and consider what their future might hold.

The dual timelines effectively showcase the evolution of the characters, highlighting how time and experience shape their identities and choices. Cain’s prose is both lyrical and accessible, capturing the emotional depth of his characters without veering into melodrama.

One Love is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that challenges readers to consider the many forms love can take.Through Danny and Guy’s journey, Cain offers a narrative that is both specific in its cultural context and universal in its emotional truths. It’s a compelling read for anyone interested in stories that delve into the intricacies of human connection.

An look at the lives of two people who head off to college, meet and 'come out'. In many ways it is a tale of two opposites...one more bold whlle this other is more restrained. The books mingles retrospection with current reality for these two as they meet for a long week of Pride celebration. During that time they recall memories of the past, seemingly end a friendship, and then gain insight to relationships with themselves and other that opens the path for a relationship with each other that is better/healthier.

LOVED IT, LOVED IT . Due to personal issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First, a list of Trigger Warnings via The Storygraph:

Graphic Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship

Moderate Classism, Fatphobia, Infidelity

Minor Bullying, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug use

One Love is such a beautifully written book. This is my first Matt Cain book but won’t be my last. The prose is lyrical and just lovely, even when what’s going on in the book is not so. The characters are so well written; they’re very realistic and have lots of personality.

The book is a dual POV and dual timelines, 2002 and 2022. I am so glad I got to know Guy, Danny, and all their friends and family. The supporting characters really added to the story.

As is common with dual timeline, one timeline works better than the other, and 2022 was my favorite. I could just picture the Manchester Pride Festival, where everyone is welcome. I could vividly see the event with all the bright colors. The sights and sounds came alive because I’ve attended a similar local Pride festival.

One Love is not really a romance book. It is a story about love and acceptance. It is one I highly recommend.

This is a heartfelt, thoroughly engaging read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Despite its length, not a single scene felt wasted—every moment, every line of dialogue, earned its place and added richness to the story. Cain excels at drawing readers into the emotional lives of his characters, making their journeys feel both personal and universal.

My only reservation lies in the narrative's tendency to over-explain. At times, the author spelled out the motivations behind certain characters’ actions, rather than trusting readers to draw their own conclusions. Allowing more space for interpretation would have deepened the emotional impact and made the characters feel even more authentic.

I am such a Matt Cain Fan. Becoming Ted is fantastic and The Secret Life of Arthur Entwhistle is such an incredible book. So I had high hopes coming into reading One Love, and maybe that wasn't a good thing. I wish I had entered this with zero expectations because I think that swayed my opinion. One Love isn't bad by any means, but it just didn't give me the usual Matt Cain magic. For the first 25% of the story I was hooked, I loved the premise and was excited to se How Danny and Guy would reconnect. But ultimately the jumping in time was too much and I didn't fall in love with either of the MCs. I found them to be a bit too messy and I didn't love that the ending wasn't conclusive. I did, however, adore that the story took place during Pride and that it was such a love letter to the the LGBTQ+ community. Overall this book was middling for me.

One Love by Matt Cain is a warm and witty story that follows two best friends, Danny and Guy, over nearly two decades. The characters are deeply relatable—flawed, funny, and full of heart—and their journey feels honest, with moments that made me laugh, cheer, and even want to yell “just talk to each other!” Cain’s writing is effortlessly engaging, and the story moves at a lively pace, with a few well-placed surprises and an ending that resists rom-com clichés. His love for Manchester shines through on every page, making the city feel like a third main character and leaving me seriously tempted to book a trip. Heartfelt, modern, and full of charm, this queer romance would make a perfect feel-good film or cozy TV series—thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC!

The general idea and part of the execution were fine, but ultimately this was too long and kept stopping at points in time that weren't that important to the overall story. The 2022 story was the most compelling one, yet the readers gets constantly trapped in 2010-ish chapters four times longer than any 2022 one, reading for the nth time about the characters meeting and asking each other about their jobs, their relationships and their appartments. The author could've found another way of conveying that information without having us read the same conversation over and over again, or maybe he could've done without a couple of those chapters. I didn't appreciate how the ending is brought on by pop psychology and divine intervention.

What I did like a lot was the overall diversity, and the commentary on historic queer issues. I've read Albert Entwistle from Matt Cain before, and once again he's done a wonderful job of showcasing non-hegemonic (or less-talked-about) queer experiences. It always leaves me with a sense of hope, like oh, there's life after this. There's not only one way to have a life. So many people have walked this road before me, and at the same time I'm paving it for so many more to come. It's a very warm feeling, and that's why I'll choose to keep reading Matt's books.

This book is very sweet and earnest without being schmaltzy and with some humor and dark topics along the way. Danny and Guy have been friends since they started at university in Manchester in 2002, where they both finally feel free to live as openly gay men. Danny immediately has a crush on Guy, but the timing is never right. Twenty years later, Danny and Guy go to Manchester Pride, and Danny is determined to tell Guy he is in love with him.

This is an expansive book that goes back and forth between timelines and isn't afraid to show the unlikable sides of the protagonists. I enjoyed the parallel timelines a lot - a lot of times I don't enjoy multiple timelines, but I felt like in this book it gave us insight into how Danny and Guy both dealt with their queer identities, as well as how their feelings towards each other evolved and changed. Danny and Guy are not always easy characters to root for - Danny is prone to pity parties and self-flagellation, while Guy is obsessed with conforming and tends to ignore the feelings of those closest to him. But that made me invested in their growth and their relationship, and I enjoyed seeing how they addressed the parts of each other that were uncomfortable or hurtful.

This book really explores what it would have been like to come out in 2003, and all the toxicity even within the queer community itself- the book artfully discusses how for a while, as a gay guy, it was preferred to not "seem" gay, while "flamboyant" gay men were looked down upon and often bullied. I loved Danny and Guy's reflections on how much the world had changed by 2022, but also their conversations about how some things were still a struggle.

There were times it felt like this book dragged a little, but otherwise I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was not what I expected, but I liked it a lot. It’s about Danny and Guy, two guys who grow up, figure out love, and learn about themselves. Danny was that insecure guy who makes you feel for him.Guy instead has got his own problems. But they feel so real and vulnerable The story switched between past and present, showing how things changed for them. Some parts were slow, but the emotions were so strong. The side characters, like Danny’s mum, were great too. It’s messy, not perfect, but that’s what makes it feel true. Really enjoyed. Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily and with genuine appreciation

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.
I did enjoy the beginning but found parts of it repetitive and the endless flashbacks annoying.
The story overall was really good, and after reading all the wonderful comments about this writer, I have downloaded Albert Entwistle.

A charming and heartfelt read that makes you want to pack your bags for Manchester!

One Love by Matt Cain is a warm, witty, and quietly moving story about two best friends over the course of ~20 years.

Matt Cain is an effortlessly engaging writer. The story moves along at a lively clip, and I found myself genuinely invested in both Danny and Guy (and even shouting “just talk to each other!” a few times). The characters feel real—flawed, funny, and full of heart.

There are a few unexpected turns I appreciated that the ending wasn’t overly tidy—life isn’t always a rom-com finale, and this felt more honest because of it.

I could absolutely see this being adapted into a feel-good film or cozy TV series (Netflix, are you listening?). And honestly? It made me want to hop on a plane to Manchester. Cain paints the city with such affection, it’s basically a third main character.

If you’re looking for a smart, heartwarming queer romance with a modern twist and plenty of charm, this one’s worth picking up.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this Advanced Reading Copy!

I went into *One Love* with high hopes, having absolutely loved Matt Cain’s *The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle* and *Becoming Ted*. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t land for me. While there were some genuinely heartfelt moments sprinkled throughout, the story as a whole felt like it dragged on far too long. I struggled to connect with the characters, and the constant shifting back and forth in time disrupted the flow and made it harder to stay engaged. It wasn’t a bad book, just... meh. That said, Cain is still an author I admire, and I’ll definitely be picking up his next book—this one just wasn’t it for me.

This was an interesting story. Spanning 20 years, I was really curious to what the author would do with that sort of time frame and how well he'd be able to capture the reality of life, love and friendships.
There is a lot of authenticity in this story and there is clear messaging throughout about unrequited love, bad timing, coming out, friendships, and gay culture. I think the author manages to balance all these themes well and really connect with the heart of the story in a believable and almost allegorical way. I think that, while this book does not go in the direction I was hoping for, there is something so much more raw and real about the ending that allows us to really explore the reality and complexities of humans. There is such a depth and maturity that made it such an interesting and fitting end.

Unfortunately I did struggle to connect with these particular characters (Danny and Guy) and the core plot of the book. I struggled a bit with this idea that Danny would still hold onto his crush for 20 years (even as their friendship deteriorates) and still feel as strongly as he did in the past. And so many of his actions were hard to fully empathize with given how long he's had to come to terms with and accept his relationship with Guy. And Guy was an interesting character at first, but then immediately sort of came off as this self-centered person without any depth. And seeing Guy, for 20 years, sort of lose himself to his relationships and to other people who treat him poorly all while actively dismissing and minimizing his relationship with Danny made it really hard to see him as someone who I could earnestly root for (in the context of this story). I think Guy's and Danny's journey of self-acceptance and growth could have been really interesting as separate stories. But here, I feel that there is maybe too much space being taken up by the will they/won't they and even each other to really allow for the depth and growth that would have been nice to see from both of them (again, especially when we are actively comparing who they were 20 years ago with who they are now and seeing that they really haven't changed much at all--which could be an argument that maybe this story should've only spanned 5-10 years?).

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with a digital review copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

As a part of the LGBTQIAP+ community I really enjoyed this read. The struggle of trying to decipher friendships v. relationships between friends of the same sex can be a little confusing and I felt like it was handled really well. I felt like the relationship and story between Guy and Danny was so genuine and remained genuine throughout the read. I found the story interesting and kept my attention. I felt bad for Danny and his struggle through the entire friendship but a lot of his feelings and thoughts were very relatable.

I think I have read all of Matt Cain's books so far, and this is not my favorite. I found the scenes going back and forth between the present and the past a bit confusing and distracting. I also did not fully find the characters as likable or endearing as I have with his other books. I found myself not caring enough about them. I loved the way in which Manchester's gay community and locale was itself a major player in the arc of the story.
And I always really appreciate Cain's focus on characters who are in the second half of their lives, navigating aging and loneliness and disappointment, inevitabilities of the aging process..
I will still recommend this to readers of LGBTQIA fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Matt Cain!! He did it again. A bittersweet heart wrencher about the different ways to be queer, the ways you can love a person - and the ways our unresolved trauma can affect how we do both. Danny & Guy have been dancing around the truth hidden behind their friendship for decades; Danny's planned them a weekend at Manchester Pride to celebrate their 20 years of friendship - and he plans to finally tell Guy how he's felt since the day they met as first years in uni. The plot bounces around through the ebbs and flows of their history in a way that reveals every detail with perfect timing. I did quite a bit of gasping in the second half!! Truly a tale of “If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”

CWs - Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cursing, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Abortion, Pregnancy

I have enjoyed all of Matt Caine prior books; I loved “The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle”. Plus I identify strongly with the landscape of Matt’s books: I was born near Manchester in 1960 and went to school in Liverpool in the 1970s.

I found “One Love” to be more hard going than Matt’s other novels. Danny had low self esteem, a lot of internalized homophobia, and would follow a pattern of hating himself, getting drunk, doing drugs, having meaningless sex, feeling bad about himself again, getting drunk, etc etc. On top of this he had 20 years of unrequited love for Gus.

This cycle of emotions and behavior got a bit wearing after a while, and I almost gave up at 70%. But I carried on to some sort of an ending. Certainly not your typical rom-com plot.

Maybe if Danny went to rehab, sobered up and dealt with his issues he might make some progress in life?

This moves on two timelines and between Danny and Guy to tell the story of their friendship-and love, Can these two friends become lovers? Should they? This leans in on knowing yourself as well as denying yourself. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.