The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
Format:Paperback
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Publishing:22nd Oct '26
£10.99
This title is due to be published on 22nd October, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A runaway bestseller. The funny, heartwarming and life-affirming novel readers will fall in love with in 2026.
Frederick Fife has borrowed someone else’s life – but it might just save his own… A funny, tender and uplifting story about second chances, human connection and the families we find along the way.Frederick Fife has borrowed someone else’s life – but it might just save his own… A funny, tender and uplifting story about second chances, human connection and the families we find along the way.
The feel-good runaway bestseller about forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.
Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. At eighty-two, broke and facing eviction, his luck changes when a case of mistaken identity lands him in a local nursing home, with warm meals and a roof over his head.
Caregiver Denise Simms is suffocating under a crumbling marriage and family worries. As Fred settles into his borrowed life, his trail of kindness fuels her suspicions, because nothing about this charming new resident adds up.
As secrets are revealed and purpose rediscovered, can Fred find the thing he never dared hope for: one last chance to be part of a family?
“What a glorious story, I absolutely loved it!” – Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
“This is the warm hug of a novel we all need in our lives.” – Richard Roper, author of Something to Live For
“This is a sweet, touching life-swap adventure you won’t want to miss.” – Phaedra Patrick, bestselling author of The Messy Lives of Book people
“Life-affirming and hilarious tale of mistaken identity, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife insists that it’s never too late for a second chance.” – Amy Meyerson, bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays
“A sweet story of mistaken identity and second chances…. Johnston places the painful realities of grief and aging alongside Fred’s puckish antics and lands a convincingly hopeful ending. The result is a triumphant last act story.” – Publishers Weekly
"This touching narrative explores themes of community, family, and the redemptive power of new beginnings.” – Booklist (starred review)
“Fans of Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove and Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures will especially enjoy this new novel.” – Library Journal
ISBN: 9780008848682
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 21mm
Weight: 270g
336 pages