Review of 'Frankie Nightingale Begins Again' by Emma Davies
Review of 'Frankie Nightingale Begins Again' by Emma Davies
Release date: April 15th, 2025
Publisher: Bookouture
REVIEW
What a touching story of hope, healing, friendship and fresh starts! Frankie Nightingale Begins Again by Emma Davies is such a warm and beautifully delivered beacon of love. The author’s own compassion shines through for those who have been abused, injured, wronged or disadvantaged in some way and even sometimes left homeless. These are heart-felt drawn main and supporting characters that you cannot help but fall in love with as they are good hard working people who have been dealt a tough hand yet still try to make the best of their unfortunate circumstances.
The story is told by four individuals providing a well-rounded view and in depth look at each of their lives. When Frankie, Beth, William and Tam come together, something in each of them clicks. Over time, an unbreakable bond of friendship forms. They encounter a number of challenges but are there for each other through thick and thin. This is a perfect example of selfless support.
I loved observing the interactions between the characters. Frankie is at the heart of the lot: the magnet in the middle. The bakery where she works becomes a lighthouse, a place of rescue and reprieve for those she meets and connects with on a deep personal level. The help, food, advice, comfort she provides is admirable and when she is faced with a difficult decision and must look fear in the face, her friends stand by her.
In time, we see why Frankie has fled her husband to start her life again. It has given her time to reclaim and rebuild herself—collect all the pieces she lost in a bad controlling marriage. After meeting, helping and engaging with her three new friends, she is able to grow and re-establish her confidence and realise her dreams. I loved Frankie’s strength and good heart. And Beth was lovely, too. Her support and determination in helping her physically injured husband are admirable. But she has to learn a few things too (and she does!). Beth is a nurse so she is more than capable in the caring department but she needs to let her husband continue to hope and maintain his dream. He wants to re-establish his farming passion. And yes, it is a tall order due to the loss of his mobility. But there are solutions for that!
Tam was such a sweet and caring person, too. and it is easy to see why Eleanor (patient in the care home) loved him. The surprise at the end was delightful and really lifted my heart! And then there is William who became an amazing helper for Frankie in her darkest hour. Their connection deepens over the course of the novel. He becomes her shelter but also an equal partner for he accepts her for who she is—unlike her husband who was always trying to change her into the image he wanted. Her husband’s personality comes under scrutiny and is well explained through Frankie’s psychoanalysis of the situation when her mind is clear. There are some great conversations between her and her husband that give us a true picture of what she was up against and why she left him. I love it that she stands her ground! The new Frankie is bold and victorious!
I highly recommend this enthralling uplifting story that shines with the power of friendship, support, love for our neighbour, and shows what can happen when we lend a helping hand. I recently read an online article that people who are kind and compassionate towards others are happier, have better physical and mental health, develop stronger relationships and feel more connected to humanity. These acts of kindness can break loneliness and isolation patterns. It helps the giver feel a sense of purpose: that what they do can make a difference. There is also a ‘reap what you sow’ result. The giver often becomes a receiver. As kindness may come their way, too (as seen in this novel). I believe this story demonstrates all these things in a big way.
Without question, get Frankie Nightingale Begins Again and read it. It will fill your heart with hope and light. The little cafe in the novel is truly for ‘the lost or the lonely, the needy or the invisible’ but it reminds us of the importance of friendship and the need to spread the sunshine of kindness to those around us. This novel is a sparkling star in an often too dark sky. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC.
