4 out of 4 stars
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Can I Be Frank?
Frank Gold enters seminary by way of being at the end of his rope after A-levels, much to the chagrin of his parish priest. Mishaps had surrounded Frank Gold during his years as an altar server and nothing changes during seminary. While in seminary, a chance encounter with an American priest, Father Anthony, at an Ecclesiastical Show in Birmingham, England, later opens a door for Father Francis, or Father Frank as he prefers, and provides a respite for perhaps everyone from the Bishop down in the local Diocese.
That door manifests as an invitation from the Diocese of Central Florida to become the priest at Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Palmetto Lake, Florida, for one year. Excited, Father Frank heads to the United States, his tendency for attracting mayhem never leaving his side. After his second-hand luggage becomes dysfunctional and being detained by U.S. Customs, he finally escapes the terminal to find himself face-to-face with down-home Southern hospitality in the form of Father William, Vicar-General of the Diocese of Central Florida, as well as a rock band and muscle car enthusiast.
The next thing Father Frank knows is waking up the next morning in the parish kitchen with a hangover from American beer and the Mass for the Feast of Assumption staring him in the face. His first day in America, first day as a parish priest, and his first hangover is not the exciting beginning he had hoped for.
Obviously not your typical priest, Father Frank’s time at Saint Francis of Assisi leads him through a roller coaster ride of mishaps, strained relationships, misunderstandings, and a new understanding of his faith. As the reader taking this ride with him, I experienced embarrassment on his behalf at times, but also a mix of laughter and compassion, fueled quite often by the contrast of English and American cultures.
Author Rob Wyatt is adept at bringing you into the room with his characters. Despite the religious setting for Can I Be Frank?, Wyatt manages to unfold his tale with such humor and realism that it draws you freely into the Catholic world of Father Frank.
I admit that the first few pages made me wary that the main character was going to be too inept and the writer might be trying too hard to be humorous. To my delight, my first impression was overturned, and I was captivated, which encouraged me to rate it 4 out of 4.
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Can I Be Frank?
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