The novel, Minding Frankie, is a New York Times Bestseller that is authored by Maeve Binchy.  Minding Frankie is a heartwarming story about the struggles of a single father.  In Ireland, Noel, an alcoholic with a dead-end job, receives a call from his former lover.  She asks him to visit her in the hospital.  His former flame confesses she is dying from illness and that she is pregnant with his baby.  After her death, Noel becomes the legal guardian of their baby, Frankie.  The new father is terrified of raising a child, but does all he can to give her a great life.  Noel goes to college so he can take a higher position at the job he dreads.  He swears off alcohol and commits to going to Alcoholics Anonymous everyday.  Since Noel is busy getting his life back on track for his daughter, he can use all the babysitters he can get.  His American cousin, Emily, who is visiting to learn about her heritage, is one of Frankie’s main caregivers besides Noel.  While in college, Noel meets Lisa, a romantic who decides to leave her unaffectionate and unloving parents’ home.  Lisa has no where to live and ends up at Noel’s doorstep.  She begs him to let her live there, and Noel agrees with one exception: she must help mind Frankie.  Noel’s entire neighborhood is doing anything they can to help out Noel and Frankie.  Though Noel has a network of loving and caring people, there is one person who is against the situation.  Moira, Frankie’s social worker, believes an ex-alcoholic who could relapse any minute and housed a random young woman could not possibly be fit to raise a baby.  Moira causes obstacles for Noel in keeping legal guardianship of Frankie.  A horrific event occurs that leaves Noel making a regretful decision.  The ending of the novel is the biggest surprise and shock of all.  Minding Frankie is the type of novel that makes the reader emotional and feel sympathy for the characters.  Once the reader begins reading Minding Frankie, they are not going to want to put the book down.