THE LOST PAST OF BILLY MCQUEEN by Neil Alexander

4* Sad but lovely read. A journey back in time in some ways because of the music.

This is my first, but won't be my last, read by this author. It's a sad, and all too sadly believable, story of a young man growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, with lies and prejudices because he was gay, with religion forced down his throat by his mother and stepfather, and his eventual escape to London, except without the love of his life, Conor.

Lives wasted. Cut short. Deprived of happiness and joy, but underneath this, there's a 30-odd-year friendship that's reactivated, another almost-friendship that blooms, and there's love and support that on a way, 'had' to be taken from Billy out of fear of being punished, of being ostracised from church and community. It's sad but there are also lol moments due to the expressions and because of Aine who's 50 bit still with her 17yo head on at times.

The ending is uplifting. Satisfying, sad but also sweet because Billy finds himself, friendship, love, acceptance and support, and manages to start again aged 51.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Embla Boos, for my reading pleasure. 

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