Book Review: The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

Publisher: MIRA

Publish Date: April 24, 2012

Trade Paperback, 368 pages
Fiction, General Fiction
 ISBN: 978-0-7783-1346-5

My Review: This is one of those books that you finish and you just stop and think.  I fell in love with the book from the blurb and had to read it and then a few chapters in realized that part of the book was taking place in the town I live in.  I was completely sold at this point. It's really fun to see the small town you live in brought to life in a book, especially when the author gets it right and even mentions establishments you know or renames things you are familiar with.  Okay back to the review, that was just a little aside about the joy the book brought me being partially set in Beaufort, NC (great job with the old cemetary Ms. Chamberlain, I love that place and could visit it time and again!)

Now to the actual book and how I felt about it.  The book revolves around several stories and how though they seem unrelated at first they begin to be linked together.  How does a woman who lost a child in Raleigh, a man with a child from Carolina Beach and a woman about to marry the future mayor of Beaufort all link together.  Well that is for you to find out, but the main characters are Travis, his daughter Bella, Erin and Robin.  The story is told from each of the adult's point-of-view all through the story.  I loved getting to know each one, learning the history of each one and watching the choices they made, watching them grow and watching them make decisions that would shape their future life.  All three adults were different but made fascinating characters to watch during the book.

The plot was magnificent.  Ms. Chamberlain was able to weave together the three adults tales so seamlessly and believably.  I was taken in from the first page.  I thought I knew where it was going only to be surprised at times.  Yes at times it was predictable, but that was okay, because I still didn't know exactly how things would play out and how the characters would react and change and that was the main thing that interested me.  The Good Father was difficult to put down once I started it.  I had to know what Travis, Erin and Robin would do next and how sweet little Bella would react as well.  I fell in love with each character and cared enough about each one to want the best for them in the end.

The Good Father is an amazing book.  Not only are the characters real and believable, but Ms. Chamberlain creates them so you care about them.  The plot moves along quickly and the setting changes around the beautiful state of NC for interest.  Be sure to pay attention to Beaufort and come visit my wonderful town.  If you love general fiction this is a great book for you.  I think it would make an excellent beach or vacation read so pick it up and enjoy!


My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:

A beloved daughter. A devastating choice.

And now there’s no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown had to make a life changing decision. While his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home raising his newborn daughter on his own – changing diapers and working to keep food on the table.  But he’s never regretted his decision. Bella is the light of his life – the reason behind every move he makes – and so far, she is fed.  Cared for.  Safe. 

But when Travis loses his construction job and his home, the security he’s worked so hard to create for Bella begins to crumble… 

Just when Travis is at a loss for solutions, a job in Raleigh opens up with the power to change their situation.  It has to.  But upon arriving in Raleigh, there is no job, only an offer to participate in a onetime criminal act that promises quick money and no repercussions. 

With nowhere else to turn, Travis must make another choice for his daughter’s sake.  Even if it means he might lose her. 


About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
I'm the author of 21 novels published in more than eleven languages. I like to write complex stories about relationships between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and friends. Although the thematic focus of my books often revolves around family, love, compassion and forgiveness, my stories usually feature a combination of suspense, mystery and intrigue.

I live in North Carolina with my significant other, photographer John Pagliuca, and my shelties, Keeper and Jet--the only non-reading members of the household!

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FTC Information: I received this book from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository, Alibris and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.

Excerpt & Author Interview: The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

Today I'm hosting the excerpt stop for Diane Chamberlain's The Good Father Blog Tour.  I finished this book earlier this week and I have to say it was amazing.  My review is coming later today, so now enjoy today's excerpt, and a Q&A with author Diane Chamberlain.

Excerpt:

I thought of the gold watch he wore. The red mustang he drove. "I don't care about getting rich," I'd answered. "I just want enough money to keep me and Bella fed till I get a real job."

Follow the rest of the blog tour here:  http://bit.ly/I56ozq

Q&A with Diane Chamberlain:

1.      Where do you do most of your writing?

In the mornings, I write in a coffee shop surrounded by chatter and music I barely notice. In the afternoons, I write at home where I need complete quiet except for the music of a dramatic movie soundtrack. But my favorite writing spot is at my little beach condo, where I can watch the sea and the gulls and dolphins as I’m thinking through my next sentence.

2.      What inspired you to write THE GOOD FATHER?

I write in a coffee shop each morning, and one day a young man and little girl walked in, looking very out of place there on a weekday morning. The girl was about three years old and simply precious, but my novelist’s mind went to work right away. Why were they together? Was he her father? A kidnaper? What if he asked me to watch her for a few minutes and then disappeared? The idea for The Good Father was born.

3.      Which part of THE GOOD FATHER was the most enjoyable to write?

Bella, the little four-year-old girl at the heart of the story was a joy to create and an even greater joy to research as I spent time carefully observing my granddaughter and grandson who were the same age. Maybe Bella was so much fun and so easy to write about because, unlike all the grownups in the story, she was an open book, full of pure emotions untainted by a lot of personal history that might have weighed her down.

4.      Which part was the least enjoyable?

Trying to figure out the best structure for the novel is always nerve wracking to me. It happens with every book. About two months before my deadline, I begin to doubt the way I’ve told the story. Have I paced it in a way that will keep my reader intrigued? Have I revealed twists and turns at the right moment to surprise and excite my reader? Have I opened the book with a gripping scene? In the case of The Good Father, I realized I needed to restructure the telling of the story, so I moved a key scene from the middle of the book to the first chapter. It was a bold and scary move, but judging from the reactions of my readers, it worked!

About the Book:

A beloved daughter. A devastating choice.

And now there’s no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown had to make a life changing decision. While his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home raising his newborn daughter on his own – changing diapers and working to keep food on the table.  But he’s never regretted his decision. Bella is the light of his life – the reason behind every move he makes – and so far, she is fed.  Cared for.  Safe. 

But when Travis loses his construction job and his home, the security he’s worked so hard to create for Bella begins to crumble… 

Bestselling author of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, The Midwife’s Confession, and The Lies We Told, Diane Chamberlain, returns with her latest and most gripping novel to date, THE GOOD FATHER (Harlequin MIRA; April 24, 2012; $14.95 U.S./$17.95 CAN.), showing the great lengths a father will go to provide for his little girl.

Just when Travis is at a loss for solutions, a job in Raleigh opens up with the power to change their situation.  It has to.  But upon arriving in Raleigh, there is no job, only an offer to participate in a onetime criminal act that promises quick money and no repercussions. 

With nowhere else to turn, Travis must make another choice for his daughter’s sake.  Even if it means he might lose her.