Is forgiveness only available to those who are forgivable? In "The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife", we join Fredrick Fife, an elderly widower, down on his luck and hitting a crossroads in his life. Fredrick has an encounter with his doppleganger, Bernard Greer, shortly after Bernard has passed away while on an outing with his nursing home. Fredrick is swept up into Bernard's life and begins a mission to right wrongs and help others a long the way. You see, Bernard was a mean old man, while Fredrick is a kind hearted man with an uncanny knack for helping others when they are down. Fredrick's big mission comes as he seeks to mend the broken relationship between Bernard and his estranged daughter, Hannah.

All throughout this book, I found myself constantly rooting for Fred, even though he really is doing something wrong in impersonating someone else. His heart is always in the right place and never seeks to take advantage of those in Bernard's life. In the end, the reader will be left with peace knowing that Fred helped so many people in Bernard's life, while mending hurts and regrets of his own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for allowing me to review this book as an ARC. It was a pleasure reading this one and it will stay with me for a long time!

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston is a story about Fred Fife, an 82 year old soon-to-be homeless widower who finds himself in quite the pickle when he’s mistaken for another elderly gentleman named Bernard. Fred ends up at Bernard’s nursing home and now just decide if he wants to “fess up” or live his life as Bernard.

I LOVED this book! The story was unique and funny but tactfully covered some important life issues that many of us face. Frederick is the most delightful old man and I loved loved loved his character. His inner dialogue was funny and he was so sweet and compassionate. I cried about four times while reading this. Themes related to grief, chronic illness (dementia), forgiveness, found family, and morals were all present in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an ebook ARC. The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is expected to be published on September 10, 2024.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this lovely book that reminds us all that kindness can make everything better-even loneliness and heartbreak. This is just as good as a Man Called Ove and manages to do so in way that avoids a teary ending. It also made me chuckle quite a bit

Frederick Fife is 82, still grieving for his wife, gone these several years. He's run out of money, and his landlord is giving him the boot. He has nowhere to go, when he stumbles into another man's identity.

He's the main POV, trading off with Hannah, some years before, when her family is hit by bad news.

How the two meet, and what Fred does with his new life, makes up this poignant story. Though life sometimes deals cruel blows, there is always room for kindness; the writing is vivid, sometimes painfully funny, especially in dealing with the indignities of age, but the story is imbued with how much being kind to one another matters. Even in little things.

I devoured this book in one day.

You know a book is going to be good when you read the first line, laugh and text your friends about it.

This charming, delightful book gave me all the feels.

Thank you to the author, publisher and. NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This book was so completely sweet and lovely! The main character is so sincere and likable and even the unlikable characters have some satisfying growth and end up likable.

I loved the Australian elements, which were fun and interesting. I learned about some foods unavailable in the US that sound pretty yummy!

This book is like a warm hug nearly all the way through and I loved it. There is some mild peril but just enough to make the story interesting. It has a very similar vibe to Have You Seen Luis Velez by Catherine Ryan Hyde, which I also loved.

I would recommend this book to folks who like relationship stories that aren’t romances. It’s realistic fiction with the vibe of a cozy.

What an absolutely delightful story! Spending most of my healthcare career working with the elderly , I especially enjoyed this book which follows the story of 82 year old Fred as he navigates the unexpected.

The way the author layered the story with background on several of the characters as well as threw a couple of “surprises “ into the book really made it a page turner for me. You can’t help but root for Fred.

I found myself self tearing 😭 up at the end as it has such a sweet and satisfying ending.

I would recommend this book highly to everyone!

In “the Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife”, the book’s namesake is accidentally mistaken for Bernard Greer after Fred stumbles upon a river outing of nursing home residents. Bernard has died in his wheelchair unnoticed by the other residents and staff, but when Fred tries to wheel his body to the others, Fred stumbles, sending Bernard’s body into the swift currents of the river, where it is taken away. Fred, an octogenarian who bears a striking resemblance to Bernard, is mistaken for him by the staff, who take him to Bernard’s room at the nursing home, despite Fred’s protests that he isn’t Bernard. Since Fred and Bernard are so similar in appearance, and Bernard had been suffering from dementia, no one believes Fred’s protestations.

Fred soon resigns himself to the situation and comes to enjoy the company of the other residents and staff as well as the plentiful food and comfortable surroundings, particularly since he has been lonely since his wife of 60 years died of cancer 10 years ago. In addition, he was about to be evicted from his apartment, having lost all his money caring for his wife’s cancer treatments. However, despite the comfort he is enjoying at the nursing home, he occasionally feels qualms of guilt for his duplicity, but assuages his feelings of remorse by assuring himself that no one is being harmed by his actions, until he discovers that Bernard had an estranged adult daughter who hadn’t spoken to him in decades. When he meets her unexpectedly, his life at the nursing home is placed in peril, both by his fear of discovery and his feelings of guilt for making Bernard’s daughter believe that Bernard is still alive.

The book is full of interesting characters suffering from various stages of dementia and other ailments associated with aging, as well as staff members who have their own personal issues. Residents and staff alike are enriched by Fred’s caring, compassionate personality and he soon becomes beloved by all. Weighty topics such as grief, loneliness and poverty are also touched upon in the book. Overall, it was a satisfying read, full of well drawn, likable characters, (although the frequent jokes surrounding bodily functions got old at times, but that is a minor quibble).

Honestly this one had me feeling all the feels. I think we all need to reflect on our lives sometimes and readjust if needed. I want to share this with all my patrons at the library because it just SO GOOD.

A delightful feel good Story. Elderly Fred Fife is living a lonely existence missing.His wife passed away and having no other family around. After a mishap at the park one day a caregiver mistakenly identified Fred as their missing patient bernard. Fred decides to take advantage of this mishap.Even though he first tries to explain who he is, but no one listens.He decides that the three meals a day in the lovely room and activities at the nursing home are just what he needs.

The story moves back and forth between chapters about fred and the other patients at the Nursing home with chapters about a young girl named hannah who is losing her older sister to cancer and living through a lot of family trauma.

There are a lot of fun.Shenanigans as Fred meets the other patients and caregivers at the home.And begins to have a new rewarding life. Meanwhile, Hannah has grown up and is looking.
At becoming a single mother in the next three months with none of her family left to help support her.

You will find yourself rooting for fred and hannah and the other characters in the book All while reading forward in the book to find out what the relationship will be between fred and hannah. This was an enjoyable raid with a happy ending.

A delightful, heartwarming story that needs to be read by all! I was either smiling or choking back tears the entire time. The unique premise of "borrowing a life" is such a profound idea and really provoked my thoughts as I followed along with Fred on his journey. What started as an accidental case of mistaken identity turned into a nostalgic, life changing opportunity. A cure for loneliness and grief and lost love. There are so many beautiful messages in this book that resonated with me. What struck me the most was the importance of finding joy in the little things. I think the author did a tremendous job showcasing the shattered innocence of Fred and Hannah in their varying POVs. Hannah, as a traumatized child, and Fred as a lonely old man that time had forgotten. I fell in love with them both, especially Fred, and absolutely adored all of the characters. There's so much more I could say about how much I loved this book, but I will keep it short and to the point. This book is a definite must read and I highly recommend it!!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for granting me early digital access in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a sweet, emotional story with many layers. Initially, I thought it was going to be a light, laugh out loud read and was quite surprised (almost halfway through) at the turn of events. You can’t help but fall in love with Fred and Albert as well as empathize with Bernard’s story. There are some sensitive and sad topics that brought me to tears but I also enjoyed the continued twists/turns and great characters of this book as well as the wonderful ending.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a great surprise! Received this read-now from Netgalley with no info or expectations as this is a new author for me!
What a lovely book!
A lonely 82 yo man, evicted and down in his luck soon takes over another man’s identity. Through a series of coincidences, he is in a nursing home under a new name. Genuinely kind and helpful, he makes friends with clients and staff.
A sweet sweet story! Yes, I shed a few tears along with some laughs. Highly recommend!
Out 9/10/24.

A lighthearted, but touching tale of a senior gentleman's second chance at life - and how he makes the most of it.

Frederik Fife is an 82 year-old widow, a few short days from being forced to evacuate his apartment and unable to make ends meet. In an unexpected (and somewhat hilarious) turn of events, Fred accidentally swaps identities with a recently-passed Bernard Greer, a senior at the Wattle River Nursing Home recently diagnosed with dementia. Thus, despite Fred's attempts at explaining the situation, his protests are simply overlooked and he comes to accept his new life and identity - which comes with the comforts of a place to sleep and regular meals.

Alternating Fred's story is Hannah's perspective; as a child, she watches her stable family fall apart once her older sister Sadie is diagnosed with cancer and her father becomes a stranger to her. Many years later, Hannah is an adult but unable to let go the bitterness of her father's departure - but when she meets him again, he's almost a completely different person.

This was a quick but enjoyable read for me, and even though I found some of the initial humor and jokes a little gauche (there's only so many incontinence jokes one can take), I found myself charmed with the cast of characters and Fred's character. In the nursing home, Johnston build out a whole community of individuals with backstories and personalities that you can't help but love (or laugh at). It's in these initials interactions that we get to see just how kind and compassionate Fred is; from trying to nudge the young staff to each other, to helping another senior recreate his wedding day, to supporting Denise, a struggling staff member, through her failed relationship and addiction - there are so many touching and inspiring moments that do a phenomenal job of tackling difficult subject with care.

Overall, a satisfying and heartwarming read that will remind readers of what's truly important in life.

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

This story is definitely a bittersweet one but it’s also a heartwarming one as well.
Fred was more than down on his luck when he came upon Bernard Greer’s slumped form.
When Fred tries repeatedly to explain that his doppelgänger Bernard was lost down the river and he was not him but looked remarkably like him, no one believed him.
Once in the nursing home Fred found out being Bernard for a bit wouldn’t be so bad , he could borrow his life and no one would get hurt and he wouldn’t be alone anymore. No harm , no foul, except when the best laid plans are all set , life and setting things right gets in the way.
This story was a treat to read and I enjoyed it so much. The characters and the story line was a perfect combination of sad and sweet.
4 smilingly stars

Every now and then, I just need something truly sweet and heartwarming. The Borrowed Life of a Frederick Fife fits that bill.
Things aren’t going well for Fred - he’s being evicted from his apartment and he’s out of money. When through a fluke, he’s mistaken for a man from a nursing home (a man that had the misfortune of dying and floating away in the river) he decides to go with the flow, just long enough to get a decent meal and a good night's sleep. But one thing leads to another and he decides to borrow Bernard’s life.
Fred is the polar opposite of Bernard - sweet, willing to go the extra mile. While no one questions the physical differences, many notice the improved outlook on life. And then, Bernard’s estranged daughter shows up and she’s not looking to forgive. But the story is a great reminder about the power of kindness.
This story has a lot to say about grief, loneliness and the invisibility of the elderly. But it also has positive messages about not giving up on life and finding new friends and family.
There’s a great twist that led to lots of tears on my part. (Have the Kleenex handy.)
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a heartwarming, uplifting and wonderful story about a homeless man who accidentally finds himself in another man’s life. The story follows Hannah who has lost her whole family including her father who she hasn’t seen in 30 years. The story follows Fred who is filled with sadness, guilt, love and compassion. His presence affects and changes the people he meets in positive and loving ways! I highly recommend this book!!

“The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife” by Anna Johnston
LOVE, KINDNESS, FORGIVENESS and LEARNING
It has been just short of forever since I last read a story that had my tear ducts flowing so furiously and at such a volume. There were so many quotable tidbits that anyone thinking of making a life long commitment to another should read, commit to memory, and agree with their life-partner to live up to. IF you are already in a committed relationship read this story and learn that it takes both partners to be committed and to make a loving relationship a happy and life-long joyous journey (even when the bad, hard, times occur, which they will). This is also a very happy, and whacky fun story. If this is not the best story I have read this year, it is in the top two. Happy Reading ! !

A wonderful story that made me laugh and cry.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beautiful, heartwarming, hilarious and precious! The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is an amazing story of love and how we find it in the most unexpected ways. Laugh aloud funny, the book grabbed me from the first line, immersed me in the story and didn’t let go until the uplifting end.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this glorious ARC.