Frank and Red, where do I even start? I’ve not read such a beautifully tender and heartwarming book since Sarah Turner’s Stepping Up. Matt has managed to write friendship in all its forms, love and grief in such a personable and touching way, whilst still having his trademark witty humour weaved through. It’s a perfect balance and I loved every word. You cannot fail to fall in the with the characters and laugh and cry with them. A triumph of a first novel and a must-read for 2024.

Red is six years old and lives in London. His parents have separated and he’s just moved with his mum next door to Frank, a curmudgeonly old man who desperately misses his dead wife and has sunk into the pits of despair.

And so follows a story about getting to know others, getting to know yourself, doing the right things, the wrong things and all the bits in between.

This is such a beautiful book; I went through every emotion possible and I’m calling this as one of my books of the year. There are laugh out loud moments, tears in eyes moments….what a delightful rollercoaster…

Frank and Red shows that sometimes friendship may come from where we expect it less and of course we have to be open to it, but it's not always easy like we can see in Frank's case. I loved this pair how they helped each other see life differently. Their relationship gave me vibes of Dennis the Menace but without all the menace Dennis was creating around.

This is normally not my kind of book, mainly because of its predictability. The story of old man meeting young boy and despite their many differences somehow developing a beautiful friendship, has been told many times before. I chose it as a Christmas read and enjoyed every page of it. It is a feel-good story, entertaining and heart-warming, funny and sad and by any account charming and enjoyable.

Both, Frank and Red, are not in a good place when they meet. Frank, recently bereaved, estranged from his only son and struggling with his mental health is as grumpy and belligerent as they get, and Red has just moved house and school, following his parents’ separation. He is being bullied at his new school, feels lonely and a bit lost. With his curiosity and naïve outlook on life Red stealthily grinds down Frank’s resistance towards human interaction. Frank becomes Red’s project and eventually he wins him over.

Between the two of them they tackle problems to do with death, bereavement, mental health, terminal illness, divorce, single parenthood and bullying to mention a few and although there is a real gravitas to the nature of their encounters, the experienced reader will never be in any doubt that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
A fast-moving plot and likable characters make this a very gratifying story.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Wildfire / Headline Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with this story at first page and loved it till the last word. I cried, smiled, felt for Frank and Red, loved Marcie and the characters the live in this story and will live in my head.
It's heartbreaking and heartwarming, full of emotions and with some very funny moments.
Frank, the man who lost the love of his life and is refusing any company. Red, the child who doesn't understand what's going on and facing a grief too big for a child to understand.
Their friendship is at the core of this great story, a friendship that will help them to heal and go on.
There's strength in the words I read, there's hope and there's the story of how healing and moving on are also a matter of relationships and love
An excellent story that delivers well rounded characters, well written and relatable.
The author is an excellent storyteller and I can't wait to read another story by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a very endearing (though familiar) story, of a grumpy, anti-social old man being befriended by his young neighbour. Although I found the story line predictable at times, it still moved me to tears and laughter. A very heart warming tale, and interesting to have part of the story told from the view point of a six year old.

Frank and Red is a gorgeous book. It is told chapter by chapter from the perspectives of Frank, (cranky, sweary) a widower struggling to continue with life after the death of his wife and Red, (innocent, funny) a six-year old boy who, with his mother, has just moved in next door to Frank after his parents relationship has broken down. This description makes it sound as though the book is kind of depressing and if I read it as a blurb on the back of a book, I probably wouldn't pick it up.

HOWEVER, this book is anything but depressing! It is hopeful and provides some great laughs as it describes how Frank and Red try to understand each other and the growing relationship between them. This book will make you feel good (at least that's what it did for me) and I was sorry when I came to the end. Red and Frank are both great characters. I would definitely read more from this author.

An absolutely beautiful book that made me laugh and cry. This book had it all for me, fun, happiness, sadness, friendship, loss and love. If I could give 10 stars I would.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This story will have you laughing out loud one minute and grabbing for tissues the next.

Widowed Frank’s life turns upside down when a young boy named Red moves in next door.

From dealing with grief, to children making friends and generally family fall outs this book has captured it all remarkably well.

You would never believe this was Matt Coyne’s first fiction book. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for him

What a lovely book. Red and his mom move into their new home after divorce and their next door neighbour is Frank. Frank lost his wife to cancer and it happens that Red’s mom, Sarah, nursed her. Frank has not come to terms with his loss at all and Marcie appears to him in his home. Deep down he knows that this is an apparition but he is comforted by her presence. When Marcie was diagnosed she refused to allow their son, Mikey, to know as the upset would be good great. Consequently when he found out and their lost his mom things between him and Frank became fraught to the point of no communication between them. Red is 6 and full of chatter. He becomes the nuisance next door as Frank has decided. Red tries very hard to engage with Frank and eventually breaks down Frank’s reserve. Red is unhappy at school especially with a boy called Jake, the class bully. Frank tells him to stand up for himself which Red does but this backfires and Red gets into trouble and is excluded for a week from school. Sarah decides as Frank started this he would have to babysit Red. While at Frank’s house he finds an invitation to a christening from Frank’s son and then the questions start. Red in his mind puts two and two together and decides to go on a mission to Mikey’s home. Red found a letter Frank had written to his son but never posted and this makes Red determined to get them back together. The trouble with this plan is that Mikey lives the other side of London and Frank being a man who does not leave his house and garden, he cannot persuade him to go with him. The story continues in such a lovely way. Marcie still appearing to Frank and telling him to be kinder to Red. Red still determined to carry out his mission. Things go wrong, then right for all concerned and as I have said before a lovely book

If you enjoyed 'A Man Called Ove' then you will adore this humorous but tender book which explores the power of friendship. Frank is grieving the loss of his wife, Marcie, and has become a recluse. Red, a six year old boy, and his mum move in next door; he too is grieving the loss of the family life he has known and his friends. When circumstances force Frank and Red together, an unlikely friendship ensues. Matt Coyne got Red just right - as a teacher I am often irritated by the children in books as they aren't well represented. This was a 'feel good' read underpinned by hope and the need to be part of a community - a message perhaps we all need to hear! Will be recommending this book to everyone.

Is it too early to start talking about books of the year? Because this one is most definitely a contender.

Frank is a grumpy old man. He hasn't left his house since his wife died two years ago. Incidentally, her "ghost" is also the only company he has, though they have the most brilliant conversations. Frank is estranged from everyone, including his own son. His garden looks more like a jungle, the outside world causes panic attacks but at least inside the safety of his home things are safe and quiet. Until six year old Red and his mum move in next door.

It is impossible not to fall in love with these characters from the very first page. That is especially true of Red. His enthusiasm is infectious, his imagination inspiring and he's often incredibly funny. Sometimes without meaning to. I adored him right away, although I also acknowledged that in real life he probably would have annoyed the crap out of me. As he does with Frank when they first meet. Red just will not stop talking and is immensely curious. But he is also incredibly smart and quickly realises Frank is sad. And possibly in need of a friend.

Sometimes you come across a book that is just perfect from start to finish. Even the cover fits Frank & Red like a glove. This story took me on such a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute I was laughing out loud, the next I found myself nearly reaching for a tissue. Obviously an unlikely friendship is born, and yes, that does sound awfully familiar. While there is a certain level of predictability, it's not one that bothered me. Quite the opposite, it's one I was hoping for. And through it all, the character of Red steals the show on every page he appears.

Matt Coyne tackles the issues both Frank and Red deal with immense empathy. Frank is quite clearly dealing with loss and grief, a life without his wife, grown-up stuff. While Red has to come to terms with an entirely new life as well; parents who are no longer together, a new house, a new school and a bully. I really liked how these "little kid" problems were never belittled in comparison to what Frank was going through.

There is such warmth throughout this story. It's like a hug on a cold winter's night. 'Frank & Red' is moving and funny, uplifting and full of hope. Frank and Red are relatable and believable characters, who will pull you in from the very beginning. It's a delightfully heartwarming story and a truly wonderful debut from Matt Coyne. It's one of those novels where I feel my review doesn't do it any justice at all, but suffice to say that I absolutely loved it!

What a fabulous book. I loved every page. A real feel good story about two wonderful characters, six year old Red and Frank, an elderly widower, estranged from his only child and agrophobic since his wife Marnie died. Red has moved in next door with his Mum following his parents split and he is determined to be friends with Frank. This is so well written I believed every word of it.

Briefly, Frank has become more and more cranky since his wife passed away, however she isn’t ‘gone’ as he still talks to her and doesn’t want any other interaction with anyone. Red is having a hard time at his new school and he shares his woes with Frank with dire consequences. However, there are consequences for Frank too…

Red is just a brilliant character. Chatty, dogged, inquisitive and caring he want to help Frank. He want to be his friend. He doesn’t want to worry his Mum. Just a wonderful if slightly precocious child with a good heart. I loved how the relationship between the Frank and Red grew, it filled me with warm feelings. I also loved the Frank and Marnie relationship, she was there to help him, as she had done through their marriage. I couldn’t put this down and read it in one sitting. It was a joyful and heartwarming read and I wish I could read it again for the first time. Brilliant.

This book tells us the story about how Frank, a grumpy old man who is deeply missing his wife who has passed away and an unexpected friendship with Red, a 6 year old boy that moves in next door.

It’s not a new storyline but it is brilliantly written with moments that will make you laugh out load and shed a few tears.

A lovely heartwarming story.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HeadineBooks for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely surprise this book turned out to be. It’s the story of Frank a cranky curmudgeonly widower who is just existing since his wife Marcie died. He has absolutely no interest in what’s happening outside his home and relies on his neighbours Mark and Joe to pop to the shops for him. That’s how things have been until the arrival of Red and his mum Sarah, the new inhabitants of the house on Franks other side. Red is six years old and has as much energy as a duracell bunny. His mum is a nurse in the hospice where Franks precious Marcie died. But it’s Red who seems to cause Frank so much stress. Like most little boys Red has a quest for knowledge that just can’t be sated. He sees Frank as someone he can talk to, play with, generally just be his friend, Frank on the other hand sees the boy as a torment and tries his best to avoid him, easier said than done. And so the tale of Frank and Red begins. This is a gem of a story, although it covers a lot of serious topics it’s a gentle, warm story. For me it’s a five star book and I’d like to acknowledge #NetGalley and #headlinebooks for my ARC of this super book.

Wow this was an absolutely fantastic book. I loved it from start to finish and loved all the characters. It made me laugh out loud and also shed a few tears. Cant ask more from a book! I totally adored it and can’t wait to tell everyone about it.

Beautiful book, I laughed, I cried, I loved it!!

It's the sign of a great book when you stay up far too late reading, because I just wasn't ready to leave the world created in 'Frank and Red'. I've followed Man vs Baby since the post about his newborn went viral; I was pregnant at the time so it really hit home. Therefore I was excited to get an ARC of this book to review. Matt Coyne has a fantastic way with words and always makes me laugh, but he also nails emotional content so I was unsurprised when I found tears filling my eyes throughout.

Frank is in his late 60s and hasn't left his house since his wife died. She visits him often, but Frank wonders if she is a figment of his imagination, or if she is really visiting him from beyond. He is grumpy and antisocial.

Red is 6 and has just moved next door. His world has been turned upside down since his Dad left his Mum for 'Tits and Teeth' and now lives with her and her twin girls (who are the devil incarnate). He's moved house, moved school leaving all of his best friends behind, and now he is being bullied. I loved Red, and Matt nailed the voice of a 6 year old, perhaps proving that he is really an overgrown child himself (I'm sure he's said as much in his blogs).

The only niggle, if you can call it that, was that the timeline didn't match up for me. How was Frank "just short of [his] nineteenth birthday" in 1983 if his son is now nearly 40; and yet: "Marcie looked across at him for a longtime, and for a long time he looked back. At the eighteen-year-old girl he'd first met, the twenty year old woman he'd married, the thirty-year-old woman who'd carried their son..."

But that wasn't enough to knock a star off for me, so it's a 5/5 read, and one I'd read again. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frank and Red - Matt Coyne

A lovely heart warming debut novel emotional and heart breaking but lifts you up at the end.

Red and his mum move next door after a marriage break up to Frank a widower who is estranged from his son. Frank is depressed miserable and grouchy and is annoyed to find Red is no slouch when he is determined to become friends with Frank however miserable he is.
How these two become friends and the lengths Red goes to reconcile Frank with his son. How Red copes with a new situation and a new school as well as a dad who has a new family make for an easy uncomplicated but pleasing story. The general theme of the book is familiar but it has depth and how this unlikely friendship develops is a joy. It is also a very funny read.

Thank you to Netgalley for a preview copy for an honest review.

Absolutely brilliant book which will have you in stitches one minute and then almost in tears the next.
Without giving too much of the plot away the story is about the relationship between a really young boy who is going through the personal trauma of parental divorce and a pensioner who is going through his own trauma as a cantankerous widower dealing with life without the love of his life to hold.
This book is extremely well written from both perspectives and I highly recommend it.

I loved this book and would thoroughly recommend. The relationship between the characters is so heart warming that it made me cry in parts. I would love to read another book by this very insightful author.