4.25 stars. Loved the heartwarming nature of the story of Bernard/Fred. It made me want to hug my grandparents and also helped me remember the value of the elderly in our society. Fred had such an uplifting, positive nature that impacted all those around him. It reminds me of the type of elderly person I aspire to be. This was laugh out loud, heartwarming and just sweet. Highly recommend. Great book to start the year!

I really, really loved this sweet story of unconventional family. This one was just such a pleasure, with interesting, flawed, but still hopeful characters, and an ending that left you with a good feeling about it all. Life is not perfect, but this conclusion was about as good as it gets! I'll definitely be recommending this one to all my readers who are looking for something emotionally resonant, but hopeful - as well as my readers who are requesting books that center older characters!

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
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“Grief was love with no where to go.”
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Oh my heart. This book was so good.

I’ve read several reviews the past few months that Frederick’s story was so touching and heartwarming, and I can confirm they were all correct.

I love how this story starts out funny. Poor Frederick is having a rough go of things when he, quite literally, stumbles into borrowing someone elses life. Frederick was such a sweet and positive guy and I adored him. His friendship with everyone at his new home warmed my heart.

But his care towards Hannah and Denise really got me. I cried so much. I loved every moment. I just loved how Frederick again and again chooses kindness. We need more Fredericks in our lives.
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5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I highly recommend if you enjoy sweet and emotional stories. Also the audio was excellent.

Fredrick Fife's borrowed life was a blessing to himself and others - primarily from the kindness he shared with everyone he met. He listened, paid attention and stayed present in the company of others. He apologized, waited quietly without fidgeting, and didn't sweat the small stuff.

This is a tale with a twist that Anna Johnston pulls off neatly - although I was sure we were going to land differently than we did. Still, the story wraps up well and I gave myself a little hug afterwards. Her author's note at the end of the book is the perfect bow and for me added weight to the power of the story - it will stick with me, and I went down memory lane looking for comparisons in my own experiences. That's the best kind of of a read, one that adds value to all you know.

Kudos to Ms. Johnston, for this happy surprise. I'll be craning my neck over booklists looking for her next one!

*A sincere thank you to Anna Johnston, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

What a charming, heart-warming read! A case of mistaken identity leads to found family and healing of deep-seated wounds. With just enough humor and reality, it doesn't cross the line of too saccharine.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for a free copy of #TheBorrowedLifeOfFrederickFife by Anna Johnston. All opinions are my own.

A cute read, but not one that is going to top my list in 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A beautiful story filled with love and joy that brought happiness to my heart. Fredrick Fife is an extraordinary character, brimming with kindness and eternal optimism. He spreads joy despite not being happiest person himself, he is a lonely old man with no family or earthly possessions. His acts of kindness a significant impact on many different people in a short period of time.

In a twist of fate, just as Fred is about to become homeless, he is mistaken for grumpiest resident at a senior center. Despite his tries to explain that he is not Bernard Greer, the worker does not listen, as he is known to have some dementia. Thus, Fred assumes Bernard's identity and leads an interesting life at the Wattle River Nursing Home. The residents and caretakers are puzzled by the sudden transformation of the grumpiest resident into one of the friendliest. Fred makes it his mission to improve the lives of the residents, and in doing so, he enriches his own life with many new friends and a new found family when he least expected it.

This heartwarming book is filled with many characters, and I truly loved meeting each one and enjoyed how a story of mistaken identity turned into one of forgiveness, acceptance, and happiness. The plot was well-conceived and brought to life flawlessly with these characters. There was just enough humor to balance the serious issues addressed in the book.

I highly recommend this lovely book! It will pull on your heartstrings, give you some laughs and leave you with a smile on your face.
I am extremely grateful to William Morrow for the opportunity to read a digital copy of this fabulous book through Netgalley. All of the opinions in this review are my own.

This was such a heartwarming read! I loved the way Frederick found himself in the nursing home. What do you do when you suddenly find yourself living someone else's life, especially when yours isn't exactly going well??

The mistaken identity aspect combined with the found family trope is perfect for anyone looking for their next feel-good story!

Overall I really enjoyed this book but at times it felt hard to follow. It took me a bit to get into but after a bit it sucked me. I would have liked more of Denise’s story since she played such a role in the story. Overall I liked the book and would recommend to a friend.

I've seen a lot of readers compare this book to Ove, but let me tell you, this is no Ove! Sure, it's similar in theme, but Frederick is so much more likable than Ove! Most of the characters were likable in this story. One thing to note is that I didn't realize there were different story/timelines happening at the start of the book and I couldn't quite tell if that was intentional or not. Things worked themselves out and it wasn't too confusing.

I will say that the amount of "dad" talk at the end of the book got to me, but I was already 75% of the way through with the book when it became a heavy topic for me to read, so I pushed through and I'm glad that I did.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston in exchange for my true thoughts.

One of the best books I read in 2024, Frederick Fife is an unforgettable character. I could not put it down, the plot was incredibly moving and had enough twist and turns to keep me guessing. Mostly, the authors deep empathy and talent created an experience that had me laughing and crying. It’s a rare book that evokes deep emotion! Most highly recommended…

Well if this didn’t entitles break my heart. In a… good way? I connected to fully with these characters, fell in love with them all, and had my heart broken alongside them. At times it felt almost too melancholy, but I do think it redeemed itself in the end in a way I can appreciate.

I definitely got Frederick Backman vibes, which I quite enjoy. And there were many lessons wrapped up in bows here but my god do not go into this with a weak heart. As someone with a soft spot for the elderly, and someone who has a less than ideal relationship with my own father, some of this was tough to read - but man am I glad I did.

The writing itself was well done of a bit on the basic side, but it was sweet and charming and the characters were well written which I can appreciate along with the overall themes of found family.

Very enjoyable book! I loved the premise of lonely and desperate Frederick assuming the life of Bernard! Character-driven and heartwarming, this is a book I will gladly suggest to (especially) my older patrons. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I can't say enough to express how much I loved this book and Frederick. I can't get him out of my head. In a case of mistaken identity, Frederick is believed to be Bernard Greer, a patient at a mental care facility. Of course, when Frederick tries to explain that he's not Bernard, they think his dementia is preventing him from remembering clearly. What transpires from this point is a heartwarming tale that will make you fall in love with Frederick Fife. I truly wish I could experience this again for the first time. I can not recommend it enough!

I am finding it hard to believe that The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is Anna Johnston's debut novel and this feel-good read left me with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes at the same time. I loved the silly and sometimes cheesy humor that permeates the story, and I adored our 82-year-old MMC Fred! I don’t read too many books that have an older main character like this and he along with so many others stole my heart. There are multiple viewpoints along with an occasional past timeline thrown in, and I did get a little confused over characters at first but then I was fine. I do wonder what it would have been like to only have Fred’s POV, but I did enjoy getting to know a couple of the other characters a bit better.

I listened to this on audio, and I thought it was so lovely with Tim Carroll as the narrator. I like when there is a full cast for multiple viewpoints, but Carroll did such an amazing job that I didn’t mind it was just him. He was especially fitting as Fred, and he brought so much life and personality to his narration. While it isn't listed, I'm pretty sure Johnston read her acknowledgments section which was a treat and made me even more teary than the author's note. I would compare this to Backman’s A Man Called Ove to a certain extent, but our Fred is not a grump and instead a beautiful beacon of light and love throughout the storyline. I really hope I get to see The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife onscreen someday. Read this if you are looking for a hug in a book, don’t mind a bit of off-color humor, and are fascinated in that crazy little thing called doppelgängers.

This sweet, sweet story is definitely a heart-warmer. If you're a fan of up-lit, you will enjoy the story of Frederick Fife who accidentally ends up taking over the life of Bernard and then proceeds to change the lives of everyone around him, including his.

It's never too late for forgiveness, family, and friendship.

with gratitude to netgalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Heartwarming story about an elderly man who is homeless, broke, and has no family. Through a surprising twist of fate, he is mistaken for a nursing home resident who has disappeared and starts to live this other man's life. While I found the situation to be somewhat implausible and I disapproved of some of the characters' decisions, in the end everything worked out for the best for everyone--so I can't complain too much! Also, I just enjoyed the story as well as the characters and their development.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

What a fun book! I definitely would recommend as a light hearted book that will take over a busy mind. Relaxing, rewarding. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

Fred is going for a walk one day, after finding out he's about to be evicted, when he comes upon another elderly man seemingly asleep in his wheelchair. While pushing the man back toward the group of people from the nursing home nearby, he not only realizes the man has died but also has a mishap that leads to him being mistaken for the dead guy and whisked off to the nursing home as Bernard. He tries to make himself understood, but Bernard's history of dementia means no one believes Fred and since Fred had nowhere to go anyway…he becomes Bernard. Somewhat unbelievable but a nice, feel-good sort of story in the end. 3.5 stars rounded to 3.

This book was like reading a warm hug. The characters are wonderful and it is a feel good about life book. I cannot wait to read more books by Anna Johnston! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.