I loved this book. Homeless, an 82 year old man takes finds himself unwittingly now living at a nursing home in a case of mistaken identity. Trying to convince others about his true identity is futile because who believes someone that old when they think he has dementia? What ensues is a sweet story of how one man's approach to friendship and kindness can affect the lives of others. Rich in character, this was a heart warming story and a true delight. Many thanks to #netgalley #the borrowedlifeoffrederickfife #annajohnston for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I am absolutely enchanted! This book is a beautifully crafted tale that explores identity, love, and the unexpected twists life can take. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into Frederick's world. His journey of self-discovery and the way he navigates the complexities of life had me hooked. Johnston’s writing is both poignant and witty, making it a joy to read. I found myself laughing, crying, and reflecting on my own experiences along the way. What I loved most was the depth of the characters. Each one felt so real and relatable, and their interactions were filled with warmth and authenticity. The themes of connection and the impact of our choices lingered with me long after I turned the last page. If you’re looking for a book that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with a sense of hope, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a must-read!

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is one of the very few books that has an outrageous premise, yet you can absolutely immerse yourself in it without having to suspend belief. Sweet and warming, yet painfully emotional.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, but it was a bittersweet read.

This was one of those books where I sometimes found myself laughing and just as quickly found myself tearing up. There are so many funny situations that Fred finds himself in throughout the book. However, there were also so many places where the plight of the elderly came through. I struggle with nursing homes. Culturally, they aren't really a thing for me, although the prevalence is increasing in recent years. In high school, I regularly volunteered at nursing homes, so I've seen the realities of what life can be like there. And while everything isn't all bad, it's sometimes a very sad tale. I appreciated that we got to see a mix of people who are sad and lonely because of their actions earlier in life and those who are still supported by their loving families.

There are a lot of places where you have to sort of suspend belief. Sometimes I find that hard to do, but I urge you to do that here because the story is so much more compelling if you just let it flow over you.

This was a beautiful book that I'll remember for a long time.


A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. it was really nice to have a book with an elderly main character and not be a miserable, done with life type of character. there was humor and a joviality to the character and it made the story not as depressing as it could have been.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader's copy.

This book was full of charming characters and had such a creative plot. I didn't want it to end. I wanted to follow Hannah and Bernard/Fred until her daughter was much older to see what adventures they could have.

Fred is about to get evicted from his apartment for back rent and goes for a walk. He comes to a man sitting in a wheelchair by the edge of the river. He is attempting to get the man back to his group from a care home when the wheelchair falls tips and the man falls in. Fred realized that the man was deceased, but no one else had noticed. Fred's wallet and his jacket end up with the man.

Fred is quickly helped into the wheelchair by Denise one of the staff from the care home and he is pushed into the van back to the home. Fred doesn't understand what is happening for several hours. He sees some photos of Bernard who he was trying to help and realizes they look almost identical.

Fred panics for several days that the police will come for him and they never do. He settles into his life in the home and makes new friends. He has many adventures with his new friends.

He also has a visit from Hannah Bernard's daughter when she comes to share the news of her pregnancy and try to reconcile with him after years of no contact. Hannah struggled through the loss of her older sister when she was only 9 and the family fallout resulting in Bernard's poor choices during the stressful time of her sister's illness.

Fred helps so many people in his time as Bernard and then he learns that Hannah is struggling to pay bills. He checks Bernard's bank balances and finds there is a large account with a co-owner. He contacts the lawyer and makes a plan to make Hannah's life richer than it is.

The ending was bittersweet, but still sweet in the end when the truth of everything comes out.

I look forward to more books by this author.

I loved this book so much. Fred may now be one of my new favorite book characters! I couldn't put it down, definitely recommend.

A mix up by a harried nursing home staff leaves Frederick Fife with a second chance he never thought he would get - a warm bed, yummy meals, and a second chance at friends and family. When someone says a story is heartwarming, this is exactly the type of novel that comes to mind. Yes, it got cringy at times, but overall this book made me so happy. To see that Frederick is a genuinely warm, kind, and caring person helps those around him to be more genuine and caring, and his love touches his fellow residents, the staff, and the family of his new self. This is one of the best books I have read in 2024 and I cannot wait to recommend it to others. It's exactly what many of us need during the holiday season - kindness goes a long way!

Reading this book is as comforting and sweet as a pot of tea and homemade cookies. Just warmed my heart and soul from start to finish, and so good I put of chores and life for a day because I just couldn't tear myself away.

DNFed at 17%

The premise of this book sounds both funny and sweet, and I have read such good reviews about this book! However, there is way too many descriptions of pee and other bodily fluids for me. I know this is part of life and getting older, but I don't want to read about it.

5 gigantic stars for this book…one of the sweetest stories I have read in a long time! If you love Ove, Arthur Truluv, AJ Fikrey you will adore this story of Frederick Fife.

A case of mistaken identity lands Frederick in a nursing home where he quickly becomes one of the favorites. This story was filled with so much kindness and love and doing for others…things I definitely needed to read about this week.

I can not recommend this book highly enough. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the honor to read and review this book.

Very cute and kept me reading. I would recommend to those looking for a happy read. I would read more from this author in the future.

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is such a treat--like a warm mug in book form! I couldn't believe this is a debut novel--well done to Anna Johnston. Can't wait to read anything she writes next.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a really sweet (albeit kinda predictable) story about a lonely old man who, due to mistaken identity, ends up living in a nursing home under someone else's name. The book was filled with a ton of incredible, implausible coincidences, but I chose to overlook them and just enjoy Fred's new lease on life as an octogenarian.
Thanks to #netgalley and #williammorrow for this #arc of #theborrowedlifeoffrederickfife by #annajohnston in exchange for an honest review.

When I'm very interested book.It had a lot of different takes on it. I like how fred had Ha no where to go because he was still upset about his wife D Dying. Bernard was in a nursing home and went on a field trip one day and ended up dead. Fred tried to help but the body fell inthe water. The nurs.
Ing home thought fred was bernard , but he was not. Fred was becoming homeless so this wasn't golden opportunity for him. He en.
Joyed this immensely and then you find out the story behind bernard and how he was trying to connect with his daughter named heather. There's all we'll be very interesting.Story about helping and compassion when things seem to get out of place. This was like a love story.A murder mystery all rolled into one. Bernard had a gambling problem, and that's why he walked away from his family because he was trying to pay.For his older daughter cancer treatment , but she died. This is a very important part of this story and you'll find out why.

Like a cozy blanket on a rainy day, that is precisely how this book makes you feel. It's a beautiful story about compassion, love, struggles, family dynamics, loneliness, family, forgiveness, trauma, grief, life, and its complexities. I cried I laughed, but most importantly, I couldn't put the book down because the story captures you, and you want to understand how everything gets resolved. I would confidently recommend this book but don't forget to have your box of tissues nearby.

3.5 stars

“𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕡𝕖𝕠𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕖𝕣. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕕𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕒𝕕𝕖 𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕪, 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕒 ℙ𝕠𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕚𝕕 𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖.”

This is a book I desperately wanted to love. The comparison to A Man Called Ove drew me in immediately, that is one of my favorite books of all time, and the comparison may have given me some unrealistic expectations.

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this book. Firstly I loved Frederick— my heart ached for him and I so badly just wanted him to find happiness, and peace, and family. I loved his connection with the other characters, and I enjoyed his sense of humor.

However, I kept being taken out of the story by the absurdity of the situation and the book’s setup. Maybe if the real Bernard didn’t die? I don’t know.

The ending also felt too neat, too wrapped up, and I’m sure I wouldn’t have been happy wth any other ending but, it just didn’t feel right.

I did enjoy this book, I just couldn’t take some of it seriously, when the book has some very serious and heartfelt topics sprinkled throughout.

I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on September 10, 2024.

Sweet Frederick Fife! This is the heartfelt book you've been looking for! The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a contemporary novel with a precious geriatric character that you will fall in love with. This novel has loveable characters, a great story line, and an overall cozy feel. Be sure to pick this one up- you won't want to miss it!

👉🏻 For my friends who want a huggable book that makes them feel better about humanity (and have a few tissues handy).

Thanks, William Morrow, for the advanced review copy via NetGalley. (Available now)

Fred is eighty-two, still grieving his wife, and is out of options, money, family, and soon, his apartment. But a mixup near a nursing home outing makes everyone think he’s their grumpy, friendless, and dementia-leaning resident, Bernard. Fred tries to clear up the confusion, but no one will pay attention. Instead, everyone keeps bringing him warm, delicious food, prescribing arthritis medicine, and making him sleep in a comfortable bed.

I loved the charming, engaging, and resourceful Fred! So often, these types of found family stories feature a curmudgeon who grudgingly re-engages with those around him, but not here. Fred is adorable and wants to help everyone he meets. I wanted to hug him. The story is sweet, with some fun surprises and a cast of intriguing characters.

If you don’t have a copy already, you should fix that. Keep it on hand as a rescue book after something dark and dismal when you need a pick-me-up read with heart and humor.