The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

 

5*

What a beautiful, heartwarming story! Set in a small town in Australia, it’s about an 82-year-old widower named Fred who is mistaken for a recently deceased nursing home resident named Bernard. Due to their uncanny resemblance and Bernard’s dementia, nobody believes Fred when he tries to correct the misunderstanding, and he finally gives up trying to convince the staff because living as someone else with a comfy room, 3 meals a day, and the friendship of his fellow residents to stave off his crushing loneliness is much better than being homeless, which was his next step had fate not intervened. However, when he learns that Bernard has a daughter he was estranged from for over 30 years, Fred has to make the difficult decision of whether to come clean or try to be a father to this lovely woman who has already lost so much in her life.

Author Johnston has written a unique story that highlights the plight of the elderly which is universal. Although the message is ultimately uplifting and redemptive for Fred, it also illustrates how shamefully inadequate the social safety nets are for some of society’s most vulnerable citizens. Fred is as healthy as an octogenarian can be, with no signs of dementia, but thanks to medical debt he incurred when his late wife was battling cancer, he was forced to sell his home and is eventually evicted with nowhere else to go. More fortunate seniors are able to afford decent nursing homes, but they are still at risk of shabby treatment by staff if oversight is lacking, which is portrayed in this book by a nurse who is barely coping with the dissolution of her marriage by turning to alcohol. Johnston also uses a delightful character named Albert to portray dementia and Fred’s friendship with him to demonstrate the correct way to interact so as to cause the least emotional upset and heartbreak. There is plenty of humor as it relates to the human condition, but also plenty of tears. As someone who witnessed her own mother’s long battle with dementia, this story was sometimes painful to read, but I have no regrets thanks to Johnston’s thoughtful handling of the disease.

If you’ve read and enjoyed Remarkably Bright Creatures, you’ll want to read this book as well. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from William Morrow through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Bookstore at Rivers End by Phillipa Nefri Clark

 

5*

This lovely book set in the beautiful town of Rivers End on the coast of Australia defies definition. It’s women’s fiction with a dual timeline that combines a clean, mature romance with a mystery involving three teenage girls from 1961. It’s the story of a newly-divorced librarian, Harriet, who is struggling with her ex-husband’s decision to “find himself” by traveling the world alone, and her 20-year-old daughter, Olive, who has dropped out of law school after ending an abusive relationship, who decide to start over by opening a bookstore in a building Harriet received as part of her settlement. 

 

While looking for old books to fill a small section of their store, they find the diary of a 14-year-old girl who writes about a birthday treasure hunt she and her friends are designing for one of the girl’s younger sister. Since the owner doesn’t want it back, they make it their mission to figure out who the narrator and her friends are since they’re only mentioned by their first initial. Olive and Harriet, reading just one entry at a time, decide to follow the clues as a way to discover their new home and to learn the identities of the friends from the past. The shifting between the two timelines works well, combining each written passage in the diary with the narrator’s internal monologue that uses full names (that only the reader is privy to). As a result, the reader figures out the mystery well before Harriet and Olive do.

 

They also purchase a number of books from a handsome chef, Brock, which includes an antique Bible and inscribed book of poetry. These become part of the mystery surrounding the treasure hunt. The romance between Harriet and Brock is a slow burn although the attraction is evident from the beginning. However, Harriet is newly-divorced and not even ready to remove her wedding ring, so it takes months of her slowly building a new life with her daughter until she’s ready to let go and let a new love in. 

 

The character development of both the main and secondary characters is well done, the mother-daughter relationship is enviably loving, supportive, and respectful, and the townspeople, especially the elderly ladies trio, are humorous and welcoming. 

 

As a former librarian and lifelong book lover, I was so envious that Harriet was able to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. Author Clark paints such a vivid picture of the town with friendly neighbors, gorgeous beaches, and a good collection of businesses that support the community.  This heartwarming, redemptive story is definitely worth a read. Highly recommended.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.