4 out of 4 stars
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Father Frank is an all thumbs guy with two left legs. He is unexpectedly promoted to head an overseas parish, the Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. With a freshly baked pork pie in his luggage, he flies from England to the US of A. Here, this novice priest goes through one trial after another.
Can I Be Frank? by Rob Wyatt is a charming story. It will leave you with a good feeling about God and people in general. There are a lot of laughs as Father Frank tries to fit into the American culture. His conversations with Father William, or Bill, are usually awkward and funny. It seems like they don't have much in common, but they get along with each other just fine. For example...
"'Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday. You've changed your place in this world,'" Bill quoted.
"Isaiah again, right? Or is it Samuel?"
"Actually, no. Chrissie Hind. Pretenders. Close though."
"Of course, right, l knew that." Rats!
And when Father Frank sees his newly painted car...
"Oh my God!" I shrieked. I felt like a participant in Changing Rooms after Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen had worked his wicked worst on their through-lounge.
"Isn't she awesome? The color's called sublime," he enthused. "Doesn't it just shout Mopar to you?"
"It certainly shouts something. It's so...so..."
"Brilliant? Incredible? Amazing?"
"Bright! Garish! African tree frog!"
How can you overcome the ruins of slander? If you have ever suffered a barrage of slander then you know how hurtful and paralyzing they can be. Well, Father Frank seems to have stumbled on the solution. He presses through life doing good works. As a result, he saves his parish and his reputation.
Can I Be Frank? has several similarities with my first book with onlinebookclub. Both books quote scriptures before each chapter, the characters' faith is Catholic, and the star character suffers hilariously because of a pest in his pants. Otherwise, Rob Wyatt's characters are less aggressive, and have no dark secrets to hide. The humor is quite American. For example, you have to know who Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen is to appreciate the humor. However, I, really enjoyed the Elvis joke.
This book was another great read. The lesson: No matter how the world is treating you, if you are merciful, kind, and loving, with time, your journey will be successful. Any young adult and above will enjoy reading this book. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. (There are two typos on pages 120 and 125. Mange instead of manage, and though instead of thought, respectively.)7
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Can I Be Frank?
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