Graham Norton is a genius. He has an amazing talent for storytelling. I was swept away with Frankie’s story, and felt bereft when I finished the book. The last few chapters are particularly moving. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

I have read and enjoyed all of Graham Norton's books but this one surpassed them all. It's the story of Frankie, a timid lonely Irish girl as she becomes scooped up by the world and has the innocence knocked out of her. We follow her highs and lows and are swept along into the New York arts scene of the 1980s. The book is incredibly emotional and Graham writes so sensitively as a woman from a different era. The cultural norms of each era are captured so vividly, it's as if you, the reader, are there.
There are some lovely characters on this book, Nor being my favourite (after Frankie herself). I even got talking about this book at Lords to a total stranger, who read a bit over my shoulder (in New York at the drake hotel) and had his interest piqued!!
Wonderful!

A story set in present day and back in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s following the life of a young Irish girl whose parents died when she was very young and as a result Frances (Frankie) ended up living with her Aunt and Uncle, the Uncle was quite the tyrant, strictly religious and not really having any empathy with present day life. Frances is forced into a marriage with an older Canon whose wife had died. Frances is only 18, innocent and not at all ready for marriage. The Canon uses Frances as a front as he is having an affair with a friend’s husband!! Frances learns about this affair but doesn’t know how to deal with it. Being only 18 she is naive and is thrown out of the house when a parishioner sees her kissing a young man who she is attracted to ! Uncle sends her to London where she meets up with her old school friend and where she has her eyes opened a little more to the world. Frances ends up working for a demanding, lesbian woman and goes to New York with her for work, but that goes wrong when the lesbian gets jealous and gives her $50 dollars and tells her to find her own way home! A chauffeur, Joe, takes a liking to Frances and takes her to his flat which he shares with his sister. He is a budding artist. Joe marries Frankie, she flourishes working in a kitchen and ultimately takes over the restaurant when the owner dies. Joe becomes a well known artist, but life falls apart for them as they are both so busy and Joe is distracted by a young girl who becomes pregnant. All along the old school friend of Frankie’s is there picking up the pieces when life throws a curve ball at Frankie.All these stories come out as Frankie is being looked after by a carer in her old age. A sad story of love and betrayal and the complications of sexual preferences. A good read with pace.l I was pleasantly surprised by Graham Norton’s writing skills.

Frankie hasn't had an easy life. It has been interesting and fulfilling at times but hasn't always been kind to her.
She is now old and needs a carer overnight after a fall, which is where Damien steps in.
She warms to Damien and at last begins to unravel the past and tell him he life story.
What a story - from Ireland to New York and back . Loves and friendships made.
This is a beautifully written book and I loved it from start to finish.
A Celebrity author who can actually write!

The concept brought to mind the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (though I found Frankie more likeable), but instead of the story being told to a reporter, Frankie’s story is told to Damian, a live-in carer who has been moved into her home following a fall, and instead of seven husbands… well, you’ll have to read it to find out.
Frankie gets the opportunity to revisit her life story while recuperating at home, from her youth in Ireland when her parents died and moved in with her Aunt and Uncle, through a marriage to a widowed Priest, to the art scene in New York during the AIDS epidemic.
While Frankie seemingly suffered due to the decisions of other people, and I felt truly sorry for her, I found it more hopeful than the other book I’ve read by Graham Norton – Home Stretch – which left me feeling downbeat.
While the story focused on Frankie, I would love a follow-up to learn more about Damian and his fractured relationship with his mother which was briefly touched upon but not explored enough for me.
With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. Frankie is such a moving story of love, loss, heartache and resilience. I loved her as a character and her friendships with Damian and Nor. Graham Norton is a wonderful writer, and I really enjoyed this beautiful look at someone’s life throughout the decades. Five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

An easy read spanning 1950s Ireland, 1960s London, New York and the AIDS crisis plus a peek in to LGBT lives across the decades.

A four star read, which I couldn't put down. Loses a star as I felt the end was rushed, and full of plot devices which detracted from the flow and some elements of the story were a bit far fetched.

However, if you're looking for a coming of age story spanning decades and countries with an overwhelming sense of the importance of friendship then I highly recommend this book.

What an absolutely heartwarming novel. Frankie by Graham Norton swept me off my feet from the very first page and carried me through on a wave of emotion right until the very end. I was truly captivated by this story.
The book revolves around Frankie telling her new carer, Damien, about her life, and it is written in such a way that I felt like I was right there with her every step of the way. Norton has this incredible ability to craft characters who feel so genuine and authentic. I could picture each one vividly, not just through their physical traits but through their vulnerabilities, their strengths, and the beautiful imperfections that make them human.
One of the things that stood out to me was how well-written this book is. It flows effortlessly, drawing you in deeper with each chapter, and before I knew it, I was completely absorbed. Norton’s storytelling has a certain charm that is both comforting and captivating. He handles sensitive themes with great care, balancing heartache with moments of hope and joy. It’s a proper emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible.
The relationships in this book are beautifully portrayed and I found myself deeply invested in their stories. There’s a subtlety in the way the author explores grief, love, and identity, which makes the characters and their experiences feel even more profound.
Norton’s ability to mix warmth, sadness, and laughter in equal measure makes Frankie a truly special read. It’s one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page, and I can’t recommend it enough. A truly fantastic book that tugs at the heartstrings while still leaving you with a sense of hope and a smile on your face.

Frances is an Irish girl whose young life is turned upside down by the tragic death of her parents. From then on she does as she is told by her relatives even a bizarre choice of spouse. Luckily she has her best friend Norah and her family to help save her.

This is a story of how Frances became Frankie and the ups and downs of her life thereafter including unexpectedly moving to New York. She tells the story to the carer she has reluctantly accepted to help her after a fracture once she finds she likes him.

Frankie's life is full of the unexpected, both good and bad and it's lucky that she is very resilient.

A fantastic read and I thank Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC, it was much appreciated.

Graham Norton has written another fabulous book. His latest book is named Frankie.
Damian is from Ireland but now works in London as overnight carer for the elderly. His new client is 84 Frances Howe who was born in Ireland but has lived also in New York and spending the later years in London. She lives on her own and has fractured her ankle and with the help of her friend named Nor has got the help she needed by Damian coming to help.
Although there is an age difference the pair seemed to have clicked and Frankie tells Damian of her life when her parents died and taken in by her strict Catholic Aunt and Uncle who forces her to marry, and it ends in disaster. Then she meets new people who take her to New York and then she finally finds love.
Graham Norton is a brilliant storyteller and anything I have read from the author I have loved. This is another emotional roller coaster of a storyline which devoured. It is very thought provoking. I loved the setting, characters etc. To be fair as I have a bit of Irish in my family I love any story with an Irish setting. This is a brilliant read. I highly recommend.

Interesting story of the now elderly Frankie who has lived a full life. Her story is told to Damien, her temporary career, in instalments taking us from rural Ireland and a forced marriage to bustling New York and a restaurant and an artist. Nice ending.

Frankie has had a tough life - growing up in Ireland in the 1960s and losing her parents at a young age, she was then taken in by her mother's sister and her husband, a cold, heartless minister who married Frankie off at a young age to his older friend.

We meet Frankie as an old lady, being cared for in her home in London by Damian, who is also Irish and with whom she strikes up a friendship and starts to tell him her life story. And what a story it is! We follow Frankie to New York, to a new life and career, but still full of heartache and sorrow and joy.

Its a strong and emotive story, told well, bringing in the the whirlwind of the gay community finding acceptance before the impact of the Aids virus in the 1980s shattered so many lives. The reader is rooting for Frankie, who in the face of so many difficulties always seems to keep her spirits, aided and supported by her dear friend Nor who has been in her life since childhood.

Uplifting, emotional and a great read. Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Graham Norton's relaxed style of writing shines through in this book. Frankie is coming towards the end of her life and she reveals it all to a carer, Damian, employed to look after her, after a fall. A lovely feelgood story that builds as the novel unfolds.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy of this book.

This is a wonderfully rich and well described story, spanning a lifetime that is filled with love, friendship, betrayal and loss.
I read this in a day, as I just couldn’t put it down.
Frankie and Nor were absolutely wonderful, and their friendship was beyond anything I could imagine.
I really enjoyed the way the story was told, juxtaposing then and now, with Frankie opening up to Damien about her life. I would have liked to have learned a bit more about Damien but that’s just me.

Another fantastic read from Graham Norton. His books never disappoint and this one is no exception.
I loved the storytelling from past to present with a cast of engaging characters.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

My first book from Graham Norton and it didn’t disappoint. Frankie is an innocent Irish young lady whose parents died so was sent to her relatives who didn’t really want her and so soon she finds herself being married off. A lot happens in this book resulting in her ending up in America. A mixture of the past and present as Frankie retells her life to Damien her career. Thanks to Graham and his publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

Frankie was beautifully immersive.
I hadn't read anything by Graham Norton previously, and after knowing Graham was primarily a TV host, I was sceptical about delving into this.
I was immediately proven wrong from page one.

After Frankie has a fall, her best friend Nor arranges a carer, and thus we meet the lovely Damien.
Through their friendship, Damien and Frankie bond, and Frankie shares her life story about trying to make it through life in Ireland, then London, heading to NYC, and back to London again.

It was a beautifully immersive story that perfectly shows Graham's knowledge and insight of London as an Irishman.

I laughed, I cried, and I just absolutely adored this story.
In a then-and-now timeline, we see Frankie's story unfold, her friendships, especially with Nor, as well as her career unfolding and how she ended up where she is now.

Thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley UK for allowing me to read such a wonderful story.
Make sure to pre-order this one, its not to be missed!

Graham Norton is such a fantastic storyteller! Once again he's written a brilliant, bittersweet book full of engaging characters. Frankie's story from post war Ireland to present day kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Thank you to netgalley, author and publisher for an early read. Highly recommend this 5 star read.

I have enjoyed Graham Norton's previous books, but I found this one a bit flat and formulaic. It is well-written, with an absorbing story, but I couldn't really warm to Frankie, and I felt the whole book was a bit of an effort.

Really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters (Frankie was just amazing!) and how the story time-lapsed between where it all began in Ireland in 1950, through London & New York and back to London. Frankie recounted the story of her life to Damien, who was being employed by Nor as a carer for her best friend after Frankie broke her ankle. I loved how the story flowed and could visualise everything the author was saying. Frankie had lived quite some life but I really enjoyed how the story never seemed far-fetched - it was believable and everything tied up nicely (I hate it when you have unanswered questions at the end!). Highly recommended.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.