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The Good Father

by Diane Chamberlain (Goodreads Author)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 3,645 ratings · 577 reviews

A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping food on the table. But he's never regretted his decision. Bella is the l...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Mira

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May 25, 2012 Lauren Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At 23 years old, Travis is the father and sole carer of four year old adorable Bella. Following a house fire where he lost his mother and his home and all his savings, followed by the loss of his job, he and Bella are left homeless and penniless. Desperate to find work he accepts a vague job with a guy called Roy that his friend Savannah recommends. Unknowingly he gets roped into doing a drug run and Travis is too tempted by the one-off cash payment for a few hours’ work to turn it down.

He takes...more At 23 years old, Travis is the father and sole carer of four year old adorable Bella. Following a house fire where he lost his mother and his home and all his savings, followed by the loss of his job, he and Bella are left homeless and penniless. Desperate to find work he accepts a vague job with a guy called Roy that his friend Savannah recommends. Unknowingly he gets roped into doing a drug run and Travis is too tempted by the one-off cash payment for a few hours’ work to turn it down.

He takes the risk of leaving Bella at the local coffee-shop with a kind woman named Erin who they have developed a friendship with. He trusts Bella in her care and leaves her without explaining to Erin what he will be doing and when he will be back.

Erin is trying to deal with her own issues, mainly the loss of her young daughter Caroline who would be the same age as Bella if she survived the accident. Erin has separated from her husband who grieves differently to her and feeling alone and grief-stricken she moves out and stumbles into the lives of Bella and Travis. Erin is in a tough position when Travis does not return to pick up Bella the next morning, she is tempted to call child services and hand her over, but her protectiveness for Bella and her gut feeling that Travis was in trouble, she sets out in search of a young woman in a photo named Robin, Bella’s mother.

Robin should be ecstatic, engaged to a powerful man soon to be mayor, she has overcome a life-threatening heart condition following a transplant and she is living the life her father always dreamed of for her. But when her sister-in law falls pregnant at just 17 years old and delivers a beautiful baby girl, Robin is haunted by the baby girl she never got to see, the one she tried so hard to forget.

I really felt for each of the characters in The Good Father. Travis is a likeable young guy, who really wants the best for his daughter. Despite him providing her with love, affection and stimulation, he struggles to meet her physical needs of shelter, food and clothing. I trusted Erin and was glad this strong woman was able to step in and protect Bella while her father tried to sort out his mess. I also empathised with Robin whose father had manipulated her trying to serve his best interests in making Robin a success but ultimately stripping her of her happiness and her identity.

It’s a suspenseful ending with a heart-warming reunion and a very satisfactory ending that left me smiling and very happy that Bella will have a more comfortable life thereafter.

I will surely seek out more of Diane Chamberlain’s novels after this enjoyable read.
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Jan 06, 2013 Thebakingbookworm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern-fiction, arc

The Good Father

Author: Diane Chamberlain
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 368
ISBN-10: 0778313468
ISBN-13: 978-0778313465
Format: Kindle ebook
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
First Line: “It was nine-forty when I woke up in the back of the van."

Synopsis: When Travis was 19 years old he made a decision that would change his life -- to raise his newborn daughter on his own. Instead of heading to university and partying with his friends Travis spent his days changing diapers and car...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Janelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favorites

I finished reading this a few days ago but am just now getting to the review. I've already finished a book since then but I'll try my best to explain why I liked it so much.

I liked it's originality. I haven't read a book like this in a long time so I enjoyed every moment of it. It was a parenthood/love/semi-crime/minor-political/twist-of-fate novel with a wonderful plot. I don't recall ever reading a book by Diane Chamberlain before but I can tell you that it will not be the last.

Okay, not the b...more

10 likes · like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Jazz Cooling rated it 3 of 5 stars

I decided to read this book because my sister had just finished reading it, and recommended it to me.

This novel completes the category 'a book written in 2011 or 2012,' on the bingo board. I don't really see any significant difference between extremely modern novels like this one compared to novels written 4 or 5 years ago. I think the only major difference is the obvious advances made in technology over the years - for example when an iPad is mentioned. However, I think the base remains the sa...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Cocktails and Books added it

Shelves: cnb-reviewers

Diane Chamberlain books are more than just a read, they are an emotional experience. She has a unique ability to write material that affects you deeply, giving you characters that are easy to love. She uses subject matter that pushes the limits of your own comfort and causes you to ask yourself just how far you’d go, if the situation were your own. This book did just that.

The characters that the author has created are complex, raw and real. They all have their own personal demons to face, pasts...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have read several of Diane Chamberlain's books and liked them all. This book is one of my favorites so far. It has an intriguing premise and does not disappoint as the plot thickens and things get worse for the three main characters. Ms. Chamberlain does break the reader's heart with her characters seemingly unsurmountable dilemmas.

In this book Travis Brown is a single father who is just trying to keep his head above water and care for his young daughter. Things go from bad to worse and he mus...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

What would you do, as a parent, to support your child? What if you had a busy life, a life that wasn't what you had dreamed of, but a life where you were getting by, and then several somethings happened and you were unemployed and homeless? What if someone offered you the chance to make some quick money doing something you knew was illegal? Would you leave your child with a virtual stranger so that you could take this job? Would you do so by telling her you'd be back in a minute, and then drivin...more What would you do, as a parent, to support your child? What if you had a busy life, a life that wasn't what you had dreamed of, but a life where you were getting by, and then several somethings happened and you were unemployed and homeless? What if someone offered you the chance to make some quick money doing something you knew was illegal? Would you leave your child with a virtual stranger so that you could take this job? Would you do so by telling her you'd be back in a minute, and then driving off? If you were the stranger, would you keep the child for two days, without knowing her last name, or much more about her? If your answers to all those questions are "no", then I'd say you are normal. However, if you can get over the highly improbable premise on which the story is built, Diane Chamberlain gives us some characters who are easy to love, and others who are easy to hate.

The Good Father is about Travis, an unwed young father who took custody of the baby when the mother wanted to give her up for adoption. The mother needed a heart transplant and was in no position to raise the baby. Of course her father hated him and tried to keep them apart. She was told he was married; he was told never to contact her again. The mother, Robin, sees history repeating itself in the family of her fiancee and for the first time, she longs for the baby she surrendered. The other main character is Erin, a woman who recently lost her own daughter, and who, as often happens in such cases, is now estranged from her husband. She meets Travis, and his daughter Bella in a coffee shop where she whiles away time focusing on her grief.

Chapters are titled by the name of the character from whose point of view they are told. This allows several separate stories to be told, stories that converge at the end.

Though the whole set-up was highly improbable, I enjoyed the story, so I'll give it a B. I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. You can learn more about Diane Chamberlain at her website. (less)

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Jul 18, 2012 Tasmin rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had to force myself to finish this book. I picked it up because people were comparing the author to Jodi Picoult, who I love. After finishing the book, I don't understand the comparisons at all. In Jodi Picoult books you tend to actually like the characters- I wouldn't have cared if they all died in this book. Also, in Jodi Picoult books you can generally understand why the characters do what they do. In this book Travis did idiotic thing after idiotic thing (none of which made much sense or w...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, challenge-books

Chamberlain has created a very strong and inspiring bond between father and daughter. Travis loves his daughter so much he will do absolutely anything for her. Unfortunately circumstances work against him to make this a very difficult task for him. Poor job market, devastating fire, and the loss of his mother make Travis a desperate man. In his struggle to protect his daughter he makes mistakes that could have long-term negative effects on both of them.
Enter Erin, the woman Travis turns to for a...more

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Jun 16, 2012 cupcake rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Good Father is as much the story of what one man would do for his daughter as what two mothers would do for theirs. It is also the story of how one little girl can heal three broken people.

Travis Brown is twenty-two, an age when most people are fresh out of college, bursting with the promise of what they will do next and believing that the world is their oyster. But for Travis, the world seems more like a dark, gaping wound. His high school love, Robin, had a life-threatening heart ailment,...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Michelle Feist rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was an easy and very entertaining read...hence why I as able to read the whole thing in one day! The story revolves around a young man who is raising his daughter alone, trying to be a good father. In an instant his world is turned upside down when his home burns down, killing his mother (who looked after his daughter so he could work), leaving him homeless, and rendering him jobless since he has no one to look after his daughter while he is working. With the crumbling economy, jobs are sca...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Sarah5 rated it 4 of 5 stars

'The Good Father' is a powerful potrayal of parenthood and explores the issue of who can be a good parent. It also explores difficult issues such as loss - of both parents and children. It is often an emotional and at times, difficult read but it is dealt with sensitively. There are many different characters but all are linked in some way and well-developed. This was a strength of the book, I cared about the characters and what happened to them. In particular I liked Robin, a woman who due to il...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 5 of 5 stars

My thanks to NetGalley, and St Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for a pre publication galley.

The Good Father draws together the story of three people, who are all brought together by desperation and loss, and focuses on fractured lives and shattered souls.

Travis is a young father, desperately struggling to look after his four year old daughter, Bella; he knows he must provide for her, and yet, in doing so, he becomes involved in a dangerous situation.

Robin, although trying to focus on her new li...more

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May 28, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: women-s-fiction, mainstream

3.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com .

Diane Chamberlain is known for writing character-driven women’s fiction that unapologetically tugs on the heart-strings, and The Good Father follows in this very successful niche. The second book of Chamberlain’s I’ve read, the first being The Midwife’s Confession, which examined grief and grieving, The Good Father is squarely focused on the parental experience and the intergenerational influence and role of parents. As the...more 3.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com .

Diane Chamberlain is known for writing character-driven women’s fiction that unapologetically tugs on the heart-strings, and The Good Father follows in this very successful niche. The second book of Chamberlain’s I’ve read, the first being The Midwife’s Confession, which examined grief and grieving, The Good Father is squarely focused on the parental experience and the intergenerational influence and role of parents. As the title suggests, it looks at why people act in ways that may be inconceivable to others when there is a child involved: why sense, legality and safety can be done away with in a heartbeat if it means protecting that child.

The Good Father is told from three alternating viewpoints, and also crosses back and forth across time, making it rather difficult to succinctly summarise, and admittedly, rather difficult to make sense of initially. After the confusion of the first few chapters, however, things do become easier to follow, although a bit of re-reading may be involved for some readers.

Unusually for a book in this genre, the key point of view character is a male, with the other supporting points of views comprising those of two women who play integral role in his life: the estranged mother of his child, and a bereft woman who has recently lost her child and with whom he strikes up a friendship.

Travis, the protagonist, is a young father who has always seen love and passion as all that’s needed to get by: despite the ups and downs of his life, he sticks fiercely to the belief that if he wants it badly enough, it will happen. He has dreams of one day becoming a marine biologist even though his working-class background and limited income means that university is a pipedream. He’s also convinced that he is capable of acting as the sole carer for his young daughter. But when Travis is let go from his job and a house fire leaves him homeless, he begins to see how important it can be to live for the moment and not just the future. Having nowhere to live and no income means that Travis’s problems are real and immediate, and that he must do whatever it takes to get back on track so that he can protect his daughter. But finding full-time employment with a young daughter in tow is no easy matter, and Travis finds himself digging himself deeper and deeper into poverty. Until he’s offered a one-off job that can help him break the cycle–if he doesn’t get caught by the police.

Unwittingly complicit in Travis’s scheme is Erin, a grieving mother who is mourning the death of her only child and who has recently left her husband after feeling alienated by what she feels is his lack of caring. Though her husband is grieving in his own way, Erin is unable to recognise the validity of his grief, pushing him away for what she sees as moving on–something she fears doing herself. But Erin’s own healing process begins when she meets Travis and his young daughter Bella in a cafe, and the trio become unlikely friends. Erin is surprised that she is able to be in Bella’s presence without the overwhelming grief that usually accompanies being with a child, and slowly grows closer to the young girl. But this friendship is tested when desperate Travis involves Erin in a plan that could harm them all.

The final point of view character is Robin, the mother of Travis’s daughter. Born with a congenital heart defect, it’s a miracle that Robin is alive today: the fact that she is is down to a heart donor. When Robin found out that she was pregnant, she was a seriously ill teen, and scarcely made it through the pregnancy alive. Fearful that she would not live to be able to support her child, she opted to give up her daughter at birth, and has kept her daughter’s existence a secret ever since. Now engaged to a well-to-do politician, Robin’s life seems to be on the up and up: until she learns that Travis and her daughter are in trouble.

Parental responsibility echoes throughout the novel, with each of the characters reflecting not only on their worth as a parent, but also on the impact of their own, and others’ parents. Robin’s father, for example, saw Travis as too lowly for his daughter, and thus tried to put a stop to their relationship. A similar situation occurs when Robin’s teenage future sister-in-law becomes pregnant to a working-class boy and her new family attempts to break up the relationship. There’s Robin, of course, who feels tremendous guilt over choosing her survival over being a mother, and over not being well enough to be a true mother in the first place. There’s Erin, who’s constantly at war with herself over whether she’s grieving properly or to the right extent, and who can’t help but assess her and her husband’s actions on the fateful day her daughter died. And of course there’s Travis, whose intentions are for the most pure–if just a tad marred by a sense of pride–but whose actions are less so. But the question throughout the book is whether any parent put in any of these situations would do the same thing.

The Good Father is a moving read, and the “what if” that forms its premise is striking and intelligent. After a convoluted start the book begins to bloom into something like a family saga, and moves along easily and steadily until the last quarter of the book or so, when a very neat, very tidy resolution begins to loom. I had a number of problems with the way things began to turn out: I found the suspense element difficult to stomach (also, “baby formula” trafficking, Travis? I know you’re an innocent, but really.), and the subsequent chapters with Robin learning more about her fiance than she wanted to know, as well as what follows after her reunion with Travis, felt contrived to me, and I would have liked to have seen some more complexity here, particularly given that I think this genre demands a different, more congruous ending. I did, however, enjoy the resolution of Erin’s plot arc, which although a little saccharine, fit well with her character. There were also a few other oddities that struck me throughout the book, such as why Travis, despite his pride, didn’t just go to someone for help, and why he left Bella with Erin the way he did rather than, oh, simply asking her to babysit: the “pride” notion overrides the desire to protect his child here, and just doesn’t quite ring true to me. I also found that some of the parallels and echoes felt a little forced and coincidental, and in part these were to blame for the ultra-tidy ending.

In sum, Chamberlain is in fine form when it comes to her characters, who are as always admirably well-rounded and believable, and I appreciated the use of a male point of view character, which is unusual for this genre. Still, I can’t help but feel that plot-wise this one could have done with a little less drama and a little less coincidence: it’s the themes and the characters that make this book so riveting, not so much the plot.(less)

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May 28, 2012 Stacie Vaughan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Diane Chamberlain has quickly become one of my favourite authors. Her writing style reminds of Jodi Picoult with the way she uses multiple narrators. In fact, I’d even say that I prefer Diane Chamberlain of Jodi Picoult. That’s saying something about how much I love Ms. Chamberlain’s books because Jodi Picoult has always been one of my favourite authors.

I read The Good Father at lightning speed even though it was 347 pages long. It’s one of those books that you cannot put down and I even found m...more Diane Chamberlain has quickly become one of my favourite authors. Her writing style reminds of Jodi Picoult with the way she uses multiple narrators. In fact, I’d even say that I prefer Diane Chamberlain of Jodi Picoult. That’s saying something about how much I love Ms. Chamberlain’s books because Jodi Picoult has always been one of my favourite authors.

I read The Good Father at lightning speed even though it was 347 pages long. It’s one of those books that you cannot put down and I even found myself thinking about it during the day wondering what was going to happen to the characters. Now that I’ve finished reading it, it’s still with me and it’s one I would read again a second time.

The story follows Travis, a young single dad, and his little girl, Bella. I really felt for Travis. He had such a hard life with his dad dying when he was young, growing up poor and then raising a daughter on his own. Then his mother died in a house fire and he was in dire straits….quite literally. I could feel his worry about not having enough for him and his daughter to eat and not having a place to live. The stress of not having a job and living in a terrible economy really took its toll on Travis and I thought Diane Chamberlain was exceptional at conveying this.

Some of Travis’s choices I certainly did not agree with, but I understood where he was coming from. Perhaps if it was me in the same situation, I might have done the same thing. He was doing what he had to in order to survive. I found many of the situations he found himself in immensely stressful. Even reading it, I was holding my breath and wondering what was going to happen. It just goes to show you that good people can find themselves in bad situations.

The other main character, Erin, lost her daughter in a terrible accident and has never recovered. She’s an empty shell of what she once was and is consumed physically, mentally and emotionally by the pain of her loss. It’s her entire life. I enjoyed seeing Erin’s interactions with Bella and watching her healing unfold throughout the pages of the book. Her loss was so raw and painful and my heart really went out to her. I could not even imagine what she went through.

The other person we meet in the book is Robin, Bella’s biological mother and Travis’s ex-girlfriend. We learn the reasons why she gave up Bella and how she came to realize that she missed the daughter she never got to meet.

All three characters eventually become intertwined as the story unfolds. This is a book that is about the characters, but it also has a fast moving plot too. If you are looking for a summer read, pick up this book. You won’t be able to put it down once you start!(less)

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May 24, 2012 Bookworm rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Good Father is an emotional novel about what a young father will do in order to provide for his daughter.
First off, the cover and title of this book tugged at my heartstrings and I wanted to read this one straight away.
Travis Brown is a single father in his early twenties on the verge of being homeless with no one in the world to help him care for his four year old daughter Bella. He just moved to Raleigh in hopes of finding a great job as a contractor, but once he arrives, things turn out v...more
The Good Father is an emotional novel about what a young father will do in order to provide for his daughter.
First off, the cover and title of this book tugged at my heartstrings and I wanted to read this one straight away.
Travis Brown is a single father in his early twenties on the verge of being homeless with no one in the world to help him care for his four year old daughter Bella. He just moved to Raleigh in hopes of finding a great job as a contractor, but once he arrives, things turn out very differently and this job offer can actually land him in jail. A desperate Travis is near to being out on the street and having his baby taken away.

Robin is Bella's mom. She and Travis had the baby as teens and Robin never laid eyes on Bella. Her own father insisted she give the baby up. Robin has a deadly heart condition and nearly died during her pregnancy and childbirth. Since Bella's birth, Robin pushed the memories of Travis and the baby aside. She is now engaged to marry a politician. Memories however, have a way of coming back the the surface.

Erin and her husband have recently lost their own four year old daughter in a terrible accident. Erin is barely managing to live her life now and when she sets eyes on Bella for the first time, she is instantly drawn to the child.

Told in alternating points of view, this novel sucked me in from the first page. The book flashes to and from as the story is told from Travis', Erin's, and Robin's perspectives. Each chapter begins with the narrator's name, so I found it easy to follow along. The author weaves the three narrators experiences in perfectly, time and places change, but none of it was jarring.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. This is the type of book that begs to be discussed, there is so much going on in the story. It's not just a story about a father doing what he can to take care of his daughter but it is also a book about people that are damaged in some way or another. These characters and their issues seemed very realistic.

I liked Travis right off the bat. As a teenager, he's chosen to raise his daughter by himself and he is really struggling financially. The image of this young dad taking his baby to McDonald's to buy inexpensive food, or washing her face and brushing her teeth in the bathroom sink at the coffee shop every morning made me teary eyed. And Bella! She is so cute. Author Diane Chamberlain does a phenomenal job at giving her character a voice. The baby on the cover definitely suits Bella's description.

All in all, a wonderful read, I cried. Highly recommended if you enjoy stories that revolve around family issues or if you just want to get swept up in a tear jerker.

"I thought of the dream and my desperate need to reach my baby, and I knew in that instant you could love someone you didn't know and never would know. You could love her with all your heart."
p.87, The Good Father

read my full review here
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/201...(less)

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May 10, 2012 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

I have been wanting to read a book by Diane Chamberlain for awhile and jumped at the chance to review this one when it came along! I am so glad that I did! (I had to go back and adjust this statement as this is the SECOND book that I have read by Ms. Chamberlain! The first was The Midwife's Confession which I also loved - click on the title to check out my review.)

The book is narrated by three people: Travis, Erin, and Robin.

Travis is Bella’s father and has been raising her with just the help of...more I have been wanting to read a book by Diane Chamberlain for awhile and jumped at the chance to review this one when it came along! I am so glad that I did! (I had to go back and adjust this statement as this is the SECOND book that I have read by Ms. Chamberlain! The first was The Midwife's Confession which I also loved - click on the title to check out my review.)

The book is narrated by three people: Travis, Erin, and Robin.

Travis is Bella’s father and has been raising her with just the help of his mother since she was born. But recently they have fallen on some hard times. They lost their home, Travis lost his job, and his mother, pretty much all at once. He is doing his best to find work, but without someone to care for Bella he is really struggling. Through a friend he hears about an opportunity in Raleigh, so goes to check it out. I think he is still in shock from losing his mom and isn’t thinking through each situation like he should. He may be 23 and raising a child, but I think he depended a lot on his mom.

In Raleigh at a little coffee shop Travis meets Erin, our next narrator. Erin has recently lost a little girl about the same age as Bella. In her grief she has been unable to work and unable to relate to her husband, so she has moved into her own apartment to give herself some space from him. Erin is instantly taken with Bella, but doesn’t feel like she should be as she could be betraying her own daughter. Travis makes the decision to leave Bella with Erin so he can complete the job opportunity that he heard about. They have been living out of his van for a couple of days and he needs to get Bella somewhere more stable, so he has to do this job – even if he feels in his gut that it is wrong.

Meanwhile we meet Robin, Bella’s mother. She almost lost her life carrying Bella, and was so sick after she was born, that thinking about raising a child was the last thing on her mind. Her dad did everything in his power to keep her and Travis apart, meanwhile telling them both lies to further his plan of action. Bella is now healthy, running a B and B, and engaged to the Mayor’s son, Dale.

I love all of these characters. Travis made some bad decisions, but I think his heart was in the right place. Erin steps up even in her grief to take care of Bella, even if she was left with her in a somewhat unorthodox fashion. I even liked Robin, who you could tell was a good person and you know she would have kept her baby if the situation had been different.
The culmination of the three of them coming together with Bella is very suspenseful! You just have to hope that they will all make the right choices this time – choices that will keep them safe and give them a chance at happiness.

I loved this book and am sorry that it had to end!

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May 05, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Good Father follows the choices that single father Travis Brown has to make. He's been doing rather well raising his daughter on his own. She is the light of his life. But when his house burns down and he loses his construction job, Travis is at a loss. He has to have money to take care of his daughter, so when a job offer comes from Raleigh, he is thankful. That thanks is soon short-lived though, when he finds out the job is criminal. He needs the money to care for his daughter Bella, but i...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

So often the father in the teen pregnancy stories is a deadbeat or runner - loves the mother but is afraid to become a father and can't handle the pressure. Later realizes just how much he misses the mother and loves his child and returns. Joy joy everyone is happy as a family. The cute toddler (never that old) is happy to have both parents and all is well.

This is not one of those stories. I love Diane's style of writing to begin with. And this story is just a continuation with that. Travis Brow...more So often the father in the teen pregnancy stories is a deadbeat or runner - loves the mother but is afraid to become a father and can't handle the pressure. Later realizes just how much he misses the mother and loves his child and returns. Joy joy everyone is happy as a family. The cute toddler (never that old) is happy to have both parents and all is well.

This is not one of those stories. I love Diane's style of writing to begin with. And this story is just a continuation with that. Travis Brown is a wonderful character. There are real Travis Browns out there and it's about time they have a spot in the literary limelight.

Travis is a 23 year old with a four year old daughter. Tragedy has come to their door and pounded to be let in. As a result, he and Bella - light of his life - have to leave all they know and move inland so Travis can try to find work. The idea that he gets caught up in a bad situation out of desperation is not new. But Diane handles it with grace and with real emotion. You will feel the fear that Travis feels when he thinks he might lose Bella. The relief and guilt he feels when he meets Erin who sees her recently deceased daughter in all little girls around her. Bella is no exception. However, where some writers would fall into the trap of having Erin be the danger Travis does not see coming. That does not happen here. Erin is a good person grieving a lost child. Now the plot twist would not be complete without the absent parent. It's a twist that the lost parent is the mother. Through her own story, we learn why Robin is not a part of Bella's live.

These three lives are intertwined through Bella. Without them realizing it right away. The way they are brought together is entrancing and engaging and frightening. Are there bad guys? Of course - there have to be. Only with that balance of those bad intentions can you truly see and feel the love and protective nature the adults have for Bella.

This is a great book for those fans of Jodi Piccoult and Kristin Hannah.(less)

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Mar 28, 2012 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Story Description:

A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping 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...more Story Description:

A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping 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….

Then a miracle. A job in Raleigh has the power to turn their fortunes around. It has to. But when Travis arrives 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.

My Review:

Travis Brown is 23-years-old and raising his daughter, Bella on his own. Bella is now four-years-old and her mother, Robin isn’t in the picture and Travis lost his mother in a house fire. He and Bella are on their own and he takes his responsibility for Bella very seriously.

Travis is working a construction job every day to make enough money to keep his beloved daughter in clothing and food. One day, he loses his construction job and doesn’t know what he is going to do. How is he going to keep feeding his sweet little, Bella? Just when he’s worried, Travis gets word that there is a good job for him in Raleigh, North Carolina but when he gets there, there is no job. Instead he is confronted with an opportunity to participate in a criminal act that will make him a lot of money.

Will Travis turn to criminal behaviour to keep his daughter feed or will he turn it down for something else? If he does decide to participate, will he also lose Bella? Travis’ situation is dire and I’d never wish to be place in that type of scenario myself.

Once you begin reading ‘THE GOOD FATHER’ you won’t be able to put it down until you’re done. Very well-written!
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Feb 11, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

It takes more than sperm to make a man a father, Travis certainly proves that as the lead character in Chamberlain's "The Good Father." Yet, this story's strength is that it is not just Travis's story we hear or even that of his precious daughter with her pink purse but of everyone whose life is changed by one child on one night by one choice, a choice Travis made because he wanted to be a Good Father. In this book you hear from Travis as he struggles to overcome life in a recession when everyth...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Andrea Newkirk (Dark Readers Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dark Readers The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

Review: Diane Chamberlain has a way with words; she knows how to leave you curious for the outcome, but at the same time tugging at those heartstrings.

The Good Father starts off with the an even that is rather shocking- leaves a person curious to read on and see why a young man like Travis would think of leaving his child with someone named Erin. The details in the beginning are vague, but soon readers are taken into the past from several viewpo...more Dark Readers The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

Review: Diane Chamberlain has a way with words; she knows how to leave you curious for the outcome, but at the same time tugging at those heartstrings.

The Good Father starts off with the an even that is rather shocking- leaves a person curious to read on and see why a young man like Travis would think of leaving his child with someone named Erin. The details in the beginning are vague, but soon readers are taken into the past from several viewpoints that lead up to this plot point Diane shares with us in the beginning.

I just want to say that Diane is the master as piecing together characters and their lives and making them come together just like a puzzle. In a way its mysterious- we know that at some point these main characters will run into each other or play a vital role in each others lives, but how? And I believe that is what I LOVE about Diane's novels, but especially this one.

Travis is a young father, who at 19 decided to have custody of his daughter. He was a child himself raising a little girl because he couldn't think about giving her up for adoption like the mother had planned. Throughout the story we are intersected with two other viewpoints; Erin, who is struggling with her own grief & stumbles into Travis and Bella one day at a coffee shop and can't seem to get them off her mind. And Robin, who thought the past was behind her but suddenly realizes that burying the past could possible be worse than living it. Travis and Bella's life isn't easy- tragedy inflicts on them causing means of survival scarce. Sometimes a person has to make choices in life, that they would never do otherwise but the idea of money brings them down-- Travis makes a decision for both him and Bella, in the thought that this could be their out; money for a place to stay and food, but suddenly realizes he's made a terrible mistake.

I fell in love with these characters! We don't get full detail on each character right away, but that leads room for guessing what their situations were like and how they came to be. When reading I had the strongest connection with Erin- and tended to ask myself the same questions she was contemplating when Travis left Bella in her care.

I will say that in the beginning, it was hard to get the dates and settings for each character straight (reminder that it is 3 viewpoints... past and present). Once I was more familiar with each person, it came naturally who and where everyone was.

The flow and pace of The Good Father is a wave effect... steady but enough "surprising" events scattered throughout that lead up into the climax that any reader will not be able to set this one down!!
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Aug 10, 2012 Nicky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I am giving this four stars, after thought. It is by no means a masterpiece, or, as the English Major snob inside of me would snide, a "great work of literature", but I did enjoy this novel. It moves quickly, and the characters were certainly engrossing.

My only qualm is with Travis. And it is only over a very small flaw I see in his logic, his motivation: why couldn't he seek help from the state? In some small way? Why choose homelessness rather than maybe a shelter of some kind? And that house...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Diane S. rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Diane Chamberlain has mastered the art of creating fascinating characters and infusing them into stories of moral and ethical dilemmas. Travis, a single father of only 23, is depending on his mother for her help and childcare in taking care of his four year old daughter. Due to circumstances of fate, he loses this help and his job, finds himself living in a broken down trailer unable to adequately provide for her. Erin is a woman dealing with her own set of problems, but her fate becomes ent...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Good Father tells a story from three different people's perspectives: Travis, Erin, and Robin. Travis is the father of Bella who is barely getting by. He had her at a young age and is a single parent who is just searching for work, and it's a struggle every day to make a good life for Bella. Erin is a woman who lost her baby a little bit ago, and her marriage is on the rocks because of this. Robin is Bella's mother who because of certain circumstances could not mother Bella. Travis takes a j...more

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May 14, 2012 Beadyjan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, my-top-ten-2012

Diane Chamberlain has come up with yet another real heart tugging page turner of a novel here. It has everything to satisfy the hungry reader - an adorable little girl, her hunky yet gentle Dad who's misguided innocence leads him astray yet who adores his daughter, romance, loss, crime, action, grief, joy and lots of exciting tension.

Yes the story of good father Travis bringing up his little girl Bella single handedly is practically guaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts.

We first meet Travis a...more Diane Chamberlain has come up with yet another real heart tugging page turner of a novel here. It has everything to satisfy the hungry reader - an adorable little girl, her hunky yet gentle Dad who's misguided innocence leads him astray yet who adores his daughter, romance, loss, crime, action, grief, joy and lots of exciting tension.

Yes the story of good father Travis bringing up his little girl Bella single handedly is practically guaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts.

We first meet Travis and Bella as things are starting to go badly wrong for them, disaster follows disaster and leaves them virtually penniless, jobless, lonely and homeless and desperately looking for work and security.

Meanwhile we are introduced to Erin, grieving mother trying to cope with life after a tragic accident and Robin - Bella's birth mother rebuilding her life after major surgery and trying to put memories of Travis and the baby they created together behind her.

When Travis is unable to find a job locally he's relieved when he gets a lead out of town and decides to up sticks and take Bella across country to a new area to meet a guy he's never met but whom he has been promised will give him work. In a town where he knows no-one and desperate need of someone to babysit Bella he decides to leave her with a woman he hasn't known long but who Bella is comfortable with, and at this point bad begins to go considerably worse!

The story is mostly about making the wrong decisions and the far reaching consequences, about moving on and moving forwards, of loss and grief and relationships and even though there were a couple of times I wanted to shake Travis and shout NOO don't be stupid - you can see why he gets confused and desperate, who amongst us can honestly say we can always remain calm in a crisis and make the best decisions under pressure?

Despite a few small anomalies and lots of amazing coincidences, you can forgive these because of the superb story telling. This is that rare thing a book which is truly character AND story driven, with precisely drawn characters so real you'd swear you'd actually met them and enough going on for there to be twists and turns all the way.

A lovely read and one I can highly recommend to existing fans of Ms Chamberlain and those of you who haven't yet tried her superb writing.(less)

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Feb 17, 2012 Annie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

It might be I'm not the best person to be doing a review of Diane Chamberlain's newest book - I've never read a book of hers that I haven't enjoyed, and all my critical faculties are suspended. But standing back a little, this one really was quite excellent, a powerful tale of families, grief and love. If Jodi Picoult has a recognisable formula (and why do the publishers feel the need to keep using the "If you like Jodi..." sticker?), so does Diane Chamberlain with her different narrators. This...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Kirsty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-saga, free-amazon-vine-books

Another excellent book from DC, in fact this has been the best of her last few releases! A beautiful story of loss and re-discovery that will keep you reading well into the night.

The characters are very likable, and the trials they face did make me feel emotionally connected to them. They each have problems and flaws that instantly make them relatable, and their reactions throughout the book were completely believable. The book has some sad points that really touched me, but I enjoyed the growth...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Cheryl "Mash" rated it 5 of 5 stars

THE GOOD FATHER by Diane Chamberlain
Published by Mira Books
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
ISBN-10: 0778313468
ISBN-13: 978-0778313465
At the generosity of the, publisher Mira Books, an ARC Digital Version was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (borrowed from Amazon): A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back.
Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out...more THE GOOD FATHER by Diane Chamberlain
Published by Mira Books
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
ISBN-10: 0778313468
ISBN-13: 978-0778313465
At the generosity of the, publisher Mira Books, an ARC Digital Version was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (borrowed from Amazon): A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back.
Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping 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....
Then a miracle. A job in Raleigh has the power to turn their fortunes around. It has to. But when Travis arrives 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.

My Thoughts and Opinion: I feel I need to start this review off with a caveat and a huge THANK YOU to author, Ms. Diane Chamberlain. A few weeks ago, we became "friends" on GoodReads. And it started me thinking. Last year when my husband and I went on vacation, one of the books that came along with us was The Midwife's Confession, which I reviewed for Meryl L. Moss Media and gave it a 5/5. I had become a fan of her's when I read The Lies We Told, which I also rated a 5/5. Since we are going away again, same time, same place, I have already started a mental priority packing list, which is, what books will be packed this year. So I garnered up the courage, emailed her, and asked if she had a new book coming out and would it be on an ARC tour? She responded saying she would check with her publisher, but in the meantime, much to my surprise, honor, and delight, her publisher sent me a copy. Unfortunately, knowing it was in my possession, I could not wait until our vacation to read it.

The prologue steals your heart with the introduction of a 4 year old little girl, Bella, in which the other main characters are brought into the story line and come to life. There is so much to this book, and I apologize for being vague at times, but I do not want to include spoilers. There was suspense, relationship dynamics, betrayals, grief, guilt, desperation, good, evil, secrets, lies, friendships, innocence, terror, blame, and above all a parent's unconditional love. The author writes in such a way that is so brilliant, detailed and descriptive, what I call a "transport" read, where I was so engrossed that I actually felt that I was part of the story and could create such realistic imagery of the entire book. Each chapter alternates and is told through the perspective of 3 main characters, which made this reader want to read ahead to find out the outcome of the previous chapter's situation the author leaves you with. It was a page turning read. I could not put this book down and read it in 2 days. This is a book that will stay with you long after reading the last word. A powerful, compelling, heartfelt, and passionate read. Highly recommend, matter of fact, preorder it!!

My Rating: 5 (less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Leslie Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed THE GOOD FATHER. Having been a Diane Chamberlain fan for awhile now, I was pleased to see this one out in paperback--and it dovetailed well with Meave Binchy's MINDING FRANKIE.

This book, however was a bit different in that it really dealt with the day-to-day dealings--and frustrations of a young single father who never married the mother of his little girl. It covers themes such as adolescent love, teen pregnancy/adoption, lost love, as well as the hard decisions all parents ma...more

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About Diane Chamberlain

I'm the author of 22 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 Car...more

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