Blurb:

Sometimes, the friend you need is the one you never saw coming.

Frank and Red are a mess.

Frank is a grumpy old curmudgeon. A recluse whose only company is the ‘ghost’ of his dead wife, Marcie. He is estranged from his friends, his son, and the ever-changing world beyond his front gate.

And then Red moves in next door.

Red is six. A boy struggling to adjust to the separation of his mum and dad, a new school, and the demonic school bully. Red is curious, smart, he never stops talking, and he’s got a trampoline.
From the moment Red’s blonde mop appears over the top of the fence that divides their two gardens, the unlikeliest of friendships is born.

. . . And it is a friendship that will change both of their lives forever.

Review:

Frank & Red isn’t the type of book I would normally read but I’m so glad I added it to my TBR when it was recommended to me. This review doesn’t really do justice to the emotional impact it had on me. It is such a heartwarming story and it was impossible for me not to be drawn into the lives of Frank, Red and their families and friends.

The novel is narrated by both Frank and Red, as the chapters are split between them. They are not characters you would expect to get along well, and their ages and different views of the world mean they have a slightly rocky start. The author’s characterisation is exquisite and I loved the distinctive voice that Matt Coyne has given to the characters, as he has captured the voice of an older man and young child incredibly well. I took them both to my heart, and I really hoped they would both be able to overcome their problems.

There are so many themes in Frank & Red and I believe that everyone who reads the novel will be able to find something that resonates with them. Matt Coyne approaches each of these themes in a very sensitive, quite subtle way, so that they gradually worked their way into my conscience and before I knew it I was struggling to hold back tears!

I will be thinking about Frank and Red and their families for a long time after I finished reading.

Frank & Red is available from Amazon.