But it's not easy to stand up for yourself when, for your whole life, you've been made to feel as though you shouldn't fully be yourself; when in fact, you've been shamed for trying to be your true self. I was totally captivated by Ted’s story and slowly savoured the last few chapters because I genuinely didn’t want the journey to end. To find pleasure in the simple act that brought him a little happiness - the courage to be something else on stage and win over hearts with his appeal.

And I have read plenty of books in the present tense - I mean, I'm sure I have; but the minute I read the first sentence, there was something about it that didn't sit right with me. I wouldn’t say the writing is particularly outstanding but it’s very readable and there are some lovely descriptive passages. This is revealed slowly throughout the book in a series of anonymous notes, but it doesn't actually add anything to the story. Chapters do not flow together seamlessly; in fact, there is a jump between each chapter where some amount of time has passed.

You can give someone all your love, and make yourself small in their presence, and yet it still won't be enough.

It's how these three lives intertwine, how on their path of a hopeful future and positive outset on life, that made it worth seeing how their stories would unfold. It’s a journey the author makes us want to accompany Ted on as he battles with the low self-esteem resulting from being dumped, quite out of the blue, by Giles, his partner of twenty years, and the responsibility he feels towards his parents to be part of the family business, famous for its ice cream.Anyone who has complicated feelings of putting family first, or whose parents expected their own needs to be met first, will recognise the family dynamics in Ted's relationships. I do not think it is wrong for someone to prioritize their own happiness, but also, as people who live in a community, we need to consider how our lives touch others, and the intentional and unintentional impact we have on others.