December 2026 Book Club

Dec 2026 The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

“A funny, heartfelt story about found family and seeing the silver lining in life. Fans of A
Man Called Ove and Remarkably Bright Creatures will especially enjoy this new
novel.”—Library Journal. A zany case of mistaken identity allows a lonely old man one
last chance to be part of a family in this warm, life-affirming debut novel.
Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed
your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is, at age eighty-two,
there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from, and he’s broke and on the brink of
eviction. But Fred’s luck changes when he’s mistaken for Bernard Greer, a missing
resident at the local nursing home, and takes his place. Now Fred has warm meals in
his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his look-alike Bernard never turns up. 
Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-
aged mom and caregiver at Bernard’s facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter’s
health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she
vows never to let a man betray her again.

As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes and learns about his past, Denise uncovers clues that
threaten to reveal his identity. Will she expose the truth before Fred can return a broken
life to mint condition?  Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of
Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about forgiveness, redemption,
second chances and finding family.