The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

A Novel

By: Anna Johnston

Narrated by: Tim Carroll

“A funny, heartfelt story about found family and seeing the silver lining in life. Fans of A Man Called Ove and Remarkably Bright Creatures will especially enjoy this new novel.”—Library Journal

A zany case of mistaken identity allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family.

“Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.”

Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is, at age eighty-two, there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from, and he's broke and on the brink of eviction. But Fred’s luck changes when he's mistaken for Bernard Greer, a missing resident at the local nursing home, and takes his place. Now Fred has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his look-alike Bernard never turns up.

Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.

As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.

Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.

Touching & Sweet

This book is a great reminder of the power of kindness. Beautiful story with charming characters . Narrator is amazing and perfect for the character .

Sweet and heartwarming

Funny, heartwarming and sweet. Easy to listen to and enjoy. Perfect story when you need a lift and laugh ❤️

A Perfect Surprise

A story of surprises and the gift love and kindness and a bit of luck can bring

A great listen

What a wonderful journey following the lives that become intertwined from an unexpectedly fortunate set of circumstances.

I hope I could be as pleasant when I get as old

A delightfully tender story

This book is a perfect story for a long cold winter nights. It’s uplifting and funny as well as thoughtful and touching.