A wonderful story told from the perspective of old age as grumpy and reluctant Frankie opens up to her new carer about the highlights of her life well- lived. She has had extraordinary experiences and feels no sorrow at admitting her best days are gone; just a sense of thankfulness for the love, luck, relationships and experiences she experienced. A beautifully rewritten and poignant story told with Nortons characteristic humour. A must-read. #frankie #grahamnorton #netgalley

When I first heard Graham Norton was writing a few years ago, I expected to be reading something showbiz and/or comedy orientated. Then we got Holding, which whilst having a gentle tongue in cheek wit can be described as neither showbiz or comedy. It could be described, however, as damned fine book. And he's kept them coming since.

His fifth book is another great story. Frankie is a reclusive Irish woman living in London. She's in her 80s and needs a temporary carer. She needs one. However, she doesn't want one. But Damian is a tenacious young man from Ireland who she soon feels comfortable enough to tell her story to. It is a story that starts with growing up in rural Ireland and takes her through 1950's London and then to New York, where she ends up caught with the art scene. There's love, laughter, and tragedy, and we see it all from the periphery through Frankies slightly naive lens.

I loved Frankie. She reminds me of a few older relatives long gone. My heart literally ached for her. And I want to find out what happens to Damien and her childhood friend Norah. I actually felt bereft at the end. Graham Norton is a fantastic presenter and comedian. But he's an even better writer.

I didn't know what to expect at all - have not read any other books by the author. It was a really enjoyable read, and I got through it in two sittings - well developed characters, and both sad and funny and joyful. I would be recommending this to friends!

I'm a fan of Graham Norton's writing. There is just a whimsical charm that, I think, reflects the author. Frankie's story is told in a series of flashbacks regaled to her young carer, Damien. At times I did wonder how one woman could survive so many traumatic events but in reality, many do. This is the 2nd book I've read by GN and I am again amazed at how well a gay man can portray the feelings and struggles of many women.

In this sweet, funny novel, we meet 84-year-old Frankie who has just broken an ankle and has acquired a live-in carer, Damian. After initially bonding over being Irish but living in London, Frankie slowly starts revealing details of her life to Damian, from her school days in Cork, to London, to New York and back again.

The novel is sweeping and covers all of the major events of Frankie’s life. I loved the relationships that Frankie built and the surrounding cast of people in her life, all of whom felt very real. The characters are warm and engaging, and the story of Frankie’s life is utterly charming.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

a feel-good read - we already admire everyone when we meet them, and hearing about her sparkling life and her 'carer's' accommodations is heart-warming stuff - intelligent and low key (that's my trouble with it - too kind-of muted), it reads well - although I stopped and started, and finally simply skimmed - a bit ho-hum for me. Norton certainly knows how to pull emotional reaction, even if it's kinda' low ball - deftly and more-than competently written. it's a matter of taste in this instance for me - would it have such high-profile presence in the market place were he not on telly? i think not - but more power to him. the ethos is that of a worthy world view.

Loved this as I knew I would. I like books when the timeframe jumps between the past and the present. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters.
Love everything that Graham Norton has written so would definitely recommend.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I could give this one more than 5 stars. I was transported into the past as Frankie recounted the highs and lows of her life to her carer Damian.

The story jumps from the present to different significant periods in Frankie’s life. We travel from Ireland to New York and meet a whole host of complex characters along the way.

This one sucks you in and you feel a part of Frankie’s inner circle. By the end you feel like you’ve truly been on a journey. There are tough moments but also moments of triumph.

Definitely my favourite of Graham Nortons and I look forward to whatever he comes up with next.

This was the first of Graham Norton’s books that I’ve read and I absolutely loved it. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to find out more about Frankie’s life story, it was a heartfelt easy read which brought me laughter and tears. I’ll definitely be reading more of his novels.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Graham Norton really is a terrific writer and I wonder if it comes from his years an interviewer. He has such a good understanding of what motivates people and what makes an interesting life. Read it immediately. His best yet.

This was a fantastic read.
Frankie is an older lady who after falling, needs a carer, just until she's back on her feet.
Damian is hired and before long, Frankie is sharing the story of her life with him.

A life that began in Cork, Ireland. Frankie has lived quite the life - occasionally sad and tragic but Frankie is a strong woman and a fierce friend.

She ends up, completely by accident, living in New York, married to a struggling artist while she becomes a chef of a well respected restaurant.

This is a well-written, beautiful book that pulled me in from the first page and I still find myself thinking about it now. The descriptions of small town Irish life, the bohemian lifestyle in London and then the freedom and vibrant life of New York, although literally worlds apart, were characters themselves.
a very well paced read that left me feeling as though I truly knew Frankie, Damian, Nor and the others.

I absolutely love Graham Norton books and was delighted to get an early copy of his newest book Frankie. As expected, I was not disappointed and simply could not put the book down once I started! Another triumph from Norton and eagerly look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was just ok for me. I did enjoy the relationships between the characters and loved that they stayed friends through their lives. This was my 3rd try at reading Graham Norton’s books and just didn’t have much of a plot. I have decided not to read any more.

Frankie by Graham Norton

This book is gorgeous, an easy read. If you enjoy audiobooks, this is worth a listen as Graham Norton does his own narration which adds to the story.

Writing style is quite simple, would suit someone getting back in to reading. Always like a story set in Ireland.

I received an ARC of this book via netgalley and am grateful for the opportunity. I enjoyed this book which moved backwards and forwards in time following the life of Frankie. From remote and rural Ireland to London and New York Frankie tells her Carer Daniel about the ups and downs of her life. I found it an engaging read. This book portrays the lives of LBGT characters during Frankie's lifetime and my only complaint is that almost everyone in the book (and there are many characters) is portrayed as LGBT - not a reflection on reality then or now.

This is an interesting, insightful and emotional read about an elderly woman, the protagonist Frankie, who is begrudgingly being cared for following a fall. The book tells her life story; from her incredibly sad beginnings, through to the excitement of New York as she relates it to her young Irish career, Damian.

It’s an easy, quite cozy read, with emotional elements, particularly when describing the effects of AIDS in the 80’s.
I also enjoyed the friendship between Frankie and Norah as it evoked perfectly for me, the importance and strength of female friendships and the author brings to life the emotional ups and downs of what appears to be an ordinary life and which is, in fact, extraordinary.

Graham Norton is an excellent storyteller and this I found to be a real page turner and I’d highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opp

Orphaned at a young age, Frances Howe is brought up by severely religious relatives, her only joy is with her best friend Norah. When Norah leaves Cork for London, Frankie is married off to a older man but when her marriage breaks down she joins Norah. Taken up by a predatory agent, Frankie is left in New York with no money and no way to return to her previous life so she makes the most of it. She falls in love with an artist and takes over a small restaurant however, after the ravages of AIDS, her world falls apart.
As with all Norton's books, there is a genuinely warm heart at the core here. The story is partly about the Irish diaspora but also about the history of LGBTQ lives through from the fifties to the AIDS era and, without being preachy, Norton makes his points. It's a readable book, quick to scamper through but actually is more profound that you might think.

I think I have loved every novel written by Graham Norton and this was no exception. We follow the eventful life of Francis Howe, who is at the age of 84 has broken her ankle and this leads her to met Damian, a carer, to whom she tells her life story. Moving from rural Ireland to London and then New York we encounter life with all its highs and lows. The author writes with great empathy for his characters and he paints them and the various eras in history with skill. I’ll be looking forward to his next book with great anticipation. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ERC of this novel in return for an honest review.