Norbert Zelenka has always had a lot of advise to give. He thinks of it as a Sherlockian intuition. His Aunt Pearl said he had the “second sight.” Either way, the only thing anyone seems willing to accept from Norbert was his money. Now, the 73 year old retired accountant has given too much. He has trouble paying for himself and Ivy, his chihuahua. Enter the Club, three senior women led by Carlotta Moon. Carlotta loves project, and Norbert is perfect for her next idea. She and her friend Margaret and Birdie decided to turn Norbert into a card reading fortune-teller. Norbert, worried about finances, agrees. As he gets to work on readings, he realizes he does have a knack for it. People are finally listening to his advice. But maybe too much. Norbert begins to worry about the ramifications of people relying on his words so heavily. After a reading for a troubled goes awry, Norbert must listen to his own instincts in order to set things right.

What a lovely story this was. The tone stays fairly light-hearted throughout, with some wonderful heartwarming moments. The cast of characters, no matter their ages or ours, all have aspects of themselves we can relate to. The life lessons explored are always applicable. It goes to show that you’re never too old to learn and grow.

It's nice to enjoy a book that has older characters and no murders, sex or violence. Just a good old fashioned tale of friends helping friends. It's a story of loneliness and accepting change as a part of life. Sometimes change is good. Norbert is a likable man who was too generous in his younger days and now can't make ends meet during his retirement. Carlotta's girls, a group of several women decide to help him make extra money and include him in their friendship circle. The story is funny and all too realistic when it comes to the older generation not asking for help when it's needed but observing and giving it when you see a situation that needs corrected. I hope Mr. Frost continues to write with this perception and thoughtful insight. It will be easy to recommend this book to all readers.

Not all books can bowl you over and make you lose sleep trying to read every page you can before you fall asleep. This book was cute, somewhat simplistic, and cozy as a knit cardigan. No lost sleep but it was an enjoyable read. The main character Norbert Z becomes a fortune-teller to help supplement his inadequate retirement income. Throughout the story, he helps guide people to become more independent, make good choices, etc, based on what "the cards" show. Similar to Shakespeare, he is prompted by 3 harpies led by Carlotta, who I came to dislike quite a bit. I would not liken this to some of the more poignant books about people in their "golden" years, but it was a nice break.

Norbert Zelenka has reached his 70s always remaining in the background even when all he wanted was to be seen. He and his dog, Ivy, live a frugal existence when some visitors come calling. The ladies of The Club have noticed him and offer a way for him to earn money by telling fortunes. More than that I don't want to say, because you should experience this book yourself. If " A Man Called Ove" spoke to you, don't miss reading this book. Loved it!

A heartfelt story of friendship, loneliness and coming-of-age late in life, The Reluctant Fortune-Teller is a feel-good read and a poignant reminder that we’re never too old to learn new tricks.

A very sweet, sparkling and moving book. I really enjoyed reading it. It also give quite a lot of food for thought regarding old age, retirement, friendship and what it means to be helpful.