Book Review: Be Frank With Me

I haven't read anything by this author before or the publisher and it's quite different to the books that I usually read, so I didn't know what to expect! I have *Be Frank With Me by Julia Claribourne Johnson (£12.99, hardcover, Corvus). The book follows Frank, Alice and Mimi as well as a range of other characters. Mimi is a writer and she is trying to write her second book, that's where Alice comes in as an assistant and to look after the wonderful, if eccentric, Frank. I loved Alice's character and her relationship with Frank, they have such a sweet and endearing relationship, even though I think Frank, a sweet nine-year-old, can be quite a handful most of the time. Throughout the book you get to see all of Franks eccentricities and his sweet nature as well as he is more unusual habits; I loved all of the facts Frank laced into conversations throughout the book particularly about film and Hollywood stars which is something I knew nothing about.

Mimi on the other hand is such an annoying character, there are some times when she is so frustrating and rude, dismissive and ungrateful regarding Alice that it made Mimi's positive characteristics seem very minor and almost insignificant. I also wasn't a massive fan of Xander as he and Mimi were two people that Frank needed the most and they weren't really there; I think that contributed to some Franks more unusual and potentially dangerous habits/nature.

It wasn't a very plot driven book, it is more of a character study and a mystery regarding Frank's father, how Xander is involved with the family and if Mimi will ever finish her book that at times seem far more important to her than her son. Overall it was an entertaining, sweet and relatively quick read which I did enjoy (the best parts of the book were definitely the conversations and relationship between Alice and frank as well as Frank's personality). I also liked Mr Vargas in the book too, he seemed like a geuinely sweet character. However it was a little slow in places and I felt as though the story wasn't progressing very much because as I said it doesn't seem to be very plot driven, in my opinion so it was more of a show of family dynamics, stressors, mental health and relationships. Overall rating: ★★★☆, 3/5. 

Have you read Be Frank With Me? What are you currently reading?