What a lovely read. Frank, a grieving widow caught up in the hell of loss, and Red, the six year old boy next door who brings him out of his shell. Red saves Frank, Frank saves Red.
Really enjoyed this book. Easy to read, funny and incredibly warm. Just what we all need right now. Five stars. Recommend.

Unfortunately, I was unable to read this book on my mobile.
What a pity!!!
I wish you lots of luck with the book.

This book is a truly delightful book! Frank and Red are the most charming of characters making this the perfect snuggle up with a good book read 🥰

This is a true odd couple story. Frank an elderly widower and Red a precocious 6 year old are the basis of the story.
Frank's a grumpy old man and he feels like a real person, you read it and know exactly what he's like. Red is a great character too.
There are some really funny moments when they don't quite understand each others worlds. Frank's bewilderment at Red trying to explain pokemon and marvel for example.
Ultimately its a story of friendship and how the most unlikely pairings can be a success.

Frank and Red is a real feel good book. It was a joy to read. It reflects that special relationship that can occur between the young and old and how they can help and heal each other in a way no-one and nothing else can. A superb book I'm happy to recommend to anyone. Matt Coyne is definitely on my authors to be read list now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Frank and Red, well what can I say? Different ends of the spectrum Red a six year old learning about life and friendship Frank an elderly widower living with sadness and loneliness thrown together to help each other out and learn from each.
This book covers every emotion and is so well written Frank the grumpy old man ……but is he really and Red the beautiful innocent boy who just wants to get things right.
Read it and enjoy

What an absolute delight of a book! Frank, an older widower who hates to leave the house since losing his beloved wife, and Red, the small boy moving in next door after his mum and dad have split up, are an odd couple but a completely charming one. Both Frank, the old curmudgeon, and Red, the chatty little boy, could have been very hard to like in the wrong hands - it can be especially hard to write small children without making them either unbelievable or insufferable - but Matt Coyne has done an amazing job of making them not just likeable but loveable. All their actions make sense, the dialogue is natural, all the characters are sympathetic and the plot is really involving - the way their relationship builds is believable and lovely to see.

I just loved this book from start to finish and would love to meet up with the characters again in the future!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

#FrankandRed #NetGalley

Simply delightful! A truly lovely story of a very special friendship. Frank and Red is a story of grief and loss, family separation and learning to live again - I loved the characters in this story.

Loved this book.

Frank's new neighbour has a trampoline. Frank can hear that it needs oiling. He sees the boy's head above the fence as he jumps.
Red has moved in next door to Frank after his parent's split up. It's a new start for him and his mum. But he hates his new school, he doesn't like their new house, he definitely doesn't like his dad's new girlfriend.
I raced through this story of Frank and Red, loved both of them. Would recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review

This is very different to my usual choice of thrillers ,and murder mysteries .I am glad that I stepped out of my usual genre and gave this book a try .It is a lovely feelgood book, that I really enjoyed reading .I like the humour and the characters were well drawn .It was great and kept me entertained ,I am sure other readers will enjoy this too.

What an absolutely beautiful book.
Oh my. I laughed out loud so many times, and I even had to wipe a few tears. Matt Coyne’s fiction debut is a complete work of art! His character building is absolutely divine and I fell completely in love with both grumpy Frank and adorable Red. This is going to be huge, and I will be recommending it to all my friends. Thank you NetGalley and HeadLine, this was a total delight.

After the death of his wife Frank becomes a recluse never leaving his home, then Red and his mum move in next door. Dealing with their own changes after the breakdown of the marriage. New job for mum and school for Red.
An inquisitive six year old Red doesn't know how to take no for an answer and becomes friends with the reluctant Frank. Asking all questions that adults darent Red finds out why Frank and his son aren't talking and decides that's silly.
A heart warming story that will make you smile.

Frank and Red are both wonderful characters- Red totally encompasses the personality of little kids with his inquisitive nature, abundance of questions and inability to temper his need to talk!
Frank is more complex, as befits an older man who has suffered a great loss.
Together the pair are adorable and the book is a lovely read!

The story of a budding friendship between Frank a bad tempered old man and his new neighbour Red who is six years old and has moved in next door with his mum.
A feel good story that will make you smile.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that warms the heart and leaves you with the feel good factor. Beautifully written and crafted story. A great first adult fiction book by Matt Coyne.

Frank and Red initially drew me in as it seemed rather similar to A Man Called Ove. Frank and Red is better - significantly.

A heartwarming tale of friendship between 6 year old Red and grumpy old widower Frank, this novel is one of the best I've read this year. Brilliantly written, well paced and laugh out loud funny, I knew within the first 5 minutes of reading that I was going to love it.

One star deducted as the ending was rather predictable and a bit clichéd, however I highly highly recommend it. A triumph.

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline, Wildfire for the ARC.

I just can’t describe how much I loved this book. It’s one of those that makes you laugh out loud at times, and cry at others, and it just all seemed so real. All I can say is well done Matt Coyne – you are my new favourite author! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to enjoy this heartwarming and wonderful story. I know I’ll be reading it again … and again. Pure brilliance!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first sentence. It is basically the story of Frank who has been widowed and during his early grief fell out with his son for a couple of reasons. Red, six, moves in next door and the two develop an interesting relationship. Red, albeit unwittingly helps Frank to heal from his grief in many ways.

To say any more may give spoilers but safe to say it was one of the most wonderful stories I have read in a long time.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
This is a truly lovely, funny & heart-warming book. Somewhere in the marketing or in other reviews you will probably see something like “the British A Man Called Ove”, and there’s a good reason for that comparison but be clear - each book stands on its own merit, and each has something unique and wonderful to give its readers. This is Coyne’s first novel, and I’m certainly looking forward to more.

When a mother and her young son move in next door to Franklin Hayes, a widower who has given up on life, little does he realise how much his life is about to change.

Frank And Red by Matt Coyne has got to be the most uplifting and joyful book I read in 2023. This was a pretty high bar, particularly as it came immediately after Helen Fisher’s novel Joe Nuthins Guide To Life.

The story itself has been done before; grumpy old man brought out of his shell by young child/children. We’ve read about it in books or seen it on the TV. What really makes Frank And Red stand out is the way in which author Matt Coyne has created and voiced two very distinct characters.

Frank is debilitated by grief, he’s retreated from friends and family and is frightened to leave his home. Frank relies on neighbours to do his shopping for him and he has one remaining friend who pops in to see him occasionally. We’re not immediately sympathetic towards Frank, he goes out of his way to alienate those who want to help him and he absolutely refuses to contact Mikey, his only child, and try to rebuild their broken relationship.

As we get to know more about Frank we begin to understand him a little better. Frank and his recently deceased wife Marcie were a happy couple, they enjoyed life to the fullest. When Marcie died Frank simply gave up on life himself, now he’s just going through the motions, progressing from one day to the next. Marcie’s “ghost” begins visiting Frank and it’s this apparition that makes Frank refuse to leave his home, he worries that if he goes out Marcie will disappear and never return.

Six-year-old Red is the heart of this novel, he is such a joyful character. With recently divorced parents he’s had to move away from the home, school and friends he loves. A new home and school in an unfamiliar area are daunting. Red is a little kid with a big imagination and being six he has no filter, saying exactly what he thinks. He’s also one of those kids that never stops talking.

When Red spots Frank in the garden he immediately starts talking to him. No matter how many times Frank ignores him or refuses to engage in conversation Red persists with “Mister”…….”Mister”……”Mister”. Red eventually wears Frank down and an unlikely friendship (in the loosest sense of the word) is formed. The interactions between the pair are sublime, it would be far easier if Frank just surrendered to the force of nature that is Red, rather than ploughing on trying to win a battle against an unbeatable opponent. I couldn’t stop laughing at the conversations between the pair.

It's obvious from the start that Frand and Red are going to help each other. Frank is going to help Red be a little bit braver, whereas Red is going to help Frank see that he still has a life to live and people who love him.