Review by CheanneL -- Can I Be Frank? by Rob Wyatt

[CheanneL]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Can I Be Frank?" by Rob Wyatt.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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This humorous and inspiring story is about a clumsy and accident-prone British Catholic priest who is invited to take over a church in America. Despite getting to grips with a new culture and dialect of English and dealing with bullies and mishaps he still manages to do God's work with the help of the new friends he makes. He and his new friends discover how badly migrant workers, most of whom are illegally in America, are treated. They set out to make it right and give these workers and their families a better life.

I gave it a rating of 4 out of 4. I absolutely loved the way it was written. The humorous writing style had me laughing throughout the entire book. It was well-rounded in that the story was still real and often very serious as well as being funny. There are funny incidents, heartbreaking situations and a lot of encouragement throughout the story. It gave me a whole new insight into priests and how they are just like normal people. They too have struggles and the highs and lows of life affect their outlook on life and their faith too. What I loved most about Father Frank was the way he prayed. I'm not sure how I thought the clergy pray when they're alone, but that definitely wasn't it!

There were some real issues that were highlighted in this book. Bullying is a huge problem not only in schools but in abusive relationships and in the workplace too. This book shows how bullying can take place in the work place and how people who meant to do good can lose sight of the big picture because of bullying and the other pressures that cause stress and worry. It also highlights how people are mistreated and the injustices against humanity. The story is inspiring because it shows how we can overcome difficulties and how God helps His people by using ordinary people. It's really a story about friendship, faith, life and God's hands in our lives.

I have nothing bad to say about the book. I enjoyed the writing style of the author, enjoyed the story, and didn't notice any mistakes. Readers who aren't Christian or have no interest in hearing about Christianity might not like this book. Although everyone can relate to the situations in the book in one way or another, it's very faith based. The author is clearly Christian or has an excellent understanding of how Christianity is a lifestyle and a relationship with God. It can give a lot of insight to those who want to understand Christians and Christianity better within the context of everyday life. I also found it interesting to see a glimpse of the Catholic church as I am Methodist and we do things differently.

If you like stories with drama and comedy with a touch of romance, give this book a go. It's well written and most people will be able to relate to the characters in some way. It's especially good if you're going through a rough time and need some encouragement, particularly with big changes in your life, not feeling good enough, or if you are being bullied. I am excited to look for other books that Rob Wyatt has written.

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Can I Be Frank?
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