Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn

A Novel

By: Renee Swindle

Francine Stevenson's chance encounter with a ten-year-old who shows up at her doorstep after her mother's sudden death spirals into an adventure for the ages

Francine Stevenson gets more than she bargained for when she rescues ten-year-old Davie from a group of bullies clamoring to snatch his beloved iPad. From that day forward the puzzlingly direct boy continues to show up at her door until the two develop a unique understanding. Their Pixar movie nights and Davie’s random Steve Jobs factoids slowly work to soothe the ache of her mother’s recent passing.

When Francine learns Davie is in foster care, she decides to introduce herself to his foster parents who she can’t help but judge for allowing the kid to spend evenings with a literal stranger.

To Francine’s surprise Davie’s foster mother is none other than Jeannette, her fiery high school crush. Their reintroduction forces Francine to face her severely single reality. And hearing her dreaded old nickname brings up long-buried issues she never dreamed of confronting.

Tired of being used by the women she meets on dating apps, Francine grows closer to the very-married Jeanette, until all her other priorities begin to cloud over, and Davie is only on the periphery of her mind. After a consecutive string of bad choices, Francine is left wondering how to free herself from an incredibly hot but toxic entanglement, as she works to become the kind of person Davie can depend on. What follows is a tumultuous journey of self-discovery told by one of the zaniest voices in fiction.

A tale of found family and hijinks, Francine’s Spectacular Crash and Burn will wiggle deep into even the most resistant hearts.

©2025 Renee Swindle (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"I inhaled and relished every word of Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn, a heartbreakingly funny and honest story which captures how the traumas of our past can break us—or just might help us build the love and family we need. Renee Swindle paints our world's vast, chaotic beauty—gender, neurodiversity, class, culture, color, science, and magic—with an understanding, wise, and brilliant pen, reminding us why we should cherish the families of our hearts. I loved, loved, loved this novel.”—Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone

“I’ve never read a character quite like Francine Stevenson, but goodness, I’ve needed her. With sharp wit, radical empathy, and unending charm, Renee Swindle has written a novel that will stay in your heart forever.”—Allison Larkin, author of The People We Keep

“While Francine may occasionally crash and burn, she may also be the hero for our times. Swindle’s joyous language, wacky humor, and deep understanding of the foibles of love places readers at the core of Francine’s heart in this topsy-turvy-rollercoaster of a novel.”—Linda Lenhoff, author of The Girl in the ’67 Bettle