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The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

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The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

By: Anna Johnston
Narrated by: Tim Carroll
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About this listen

 '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 and polished, with a full tank of petrol. The problem is, he has no one left to borrow from. At 82 he's desperately lonely, broke and on the brink of homelessness.

But Fred's luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of cranky Bernard Greer at Wattle River Nursing Home. Suddenly he has a roof over his head, warm meals in his belly and, most importantly, the chance to be part of a family again.

Fingers crossed his poker face is in better nick than his prostate or the jig is up.

As Fred walks in Bernard's shoes (and underpants), he discovers more about the man's past - and what it would take to return a broken life to mint condition.

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

'An endearing story about an Aussie battler with a heart of gold. This book is like a big, warm hug - I couldn't get enough of Fred Fife and his borrowed life.' Kerryn Mayne, author of LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER Family Life Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Psychological Heartfelt Feel-Good Witty Tear-jerking
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Thought the narrator was perfect for the story. Didn’t expect to like it but I really, really did, I cried and loved the ending. It just makes you feel all warm and sentimental in an entirely different love story.

Tugged at the heartstrings

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What an absolute delightfully fun and moving story. It made me laugh and cry the entire way

My favourite book this year

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So heartfelt and real - I loved it. A joy to read. A great audio book.

Excellent novel

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This is a lovely story about fate, love, kindness and forgiveness. It was a pleasure to listen to.

One door closes, another opens

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Well written, great story with excellent narration. The liberal use of simile was a bit much at times but still didn’t
detract from my enjoyment of this listen.

Wonderful Characters and Tale

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