The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain (Book Review and Giveaway)

It is so exciting that this tour is ending with a live chat with the author!  I haven't looked far enough ahead to see if I will be at work or not, but if not, I know who I will be chatting with!

Title: The Good Father
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: MIRA

About the book: 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.

Even if it means he might lose her. 

Excerpt:

One of them smiled at me, then went red in the face and looked away. I hardly glanced at her. I only saw the thirty-something woman sitting in the leather chair. I felt like hugging her.

            "Hey," I said, like it was any other morning. "How's it going?"

My thoughts:  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!

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Meryl L. Moss Media in exchange for my unbiased review.~

And now for the giveaway!  First entry is easy - just leave your email address and click enter!  Giveaway is open to US/Canada only and will end at Midnight on May 18, 2012. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Good Father
Publisher/Publication Date: MIRA, April 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7783-1346-5
347 pages