The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

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 and 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.

Paperback, 368 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Mira (first published January 1st 2012)

more details...

ISBN

0778313468 (ISBN13: 9780778313465

My Thoughts:  Let me start by saying that this is the first novel by Diane Chamberlain, that I have read.  There are many other books out there that I have on my TBR list, that need to be pushed to the top of my list. 

I love how Ms Chamberlain develops vivid characters whom you can’t help but to care about.    I felt and cared about each of them in different ways during the shifting of their personal stories.
 

"The Good Father" is much more than choices parents make.  I could feel Travis's hopelessness and despair trying to provide for his daughter.   My heart just ached during the time of their homelessness.
We sympathize with Erin's grieving the  loss of her daughter, and not being able to grieve with her husband.   I felt so for Robin, who survived so much in her life, and in the end is able to see what is really important to her.   This novel has so many facets, elements of suspense, deception, romance.   There were parts of this story that were absolutely heart-wrenching, and I just kept turning pages just to see what was going to happen next. 

I am rating "The Good Father" a 9/10, all the elements of a perfectly written story. 

Spring Reading Thing 2012

I just found this challenge and was really taken by the thought of reading a book title starting with the letters in Spring.

When? March 20th – June 19th

What? Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, will be to read the word SPRING plus we’ve added three bonus mini challenges. How do you read the word Spring? Good question. You have three options:
a. Read books whose titles begin with each letter in the word SPRING.
b. Read books where the authors’ first names begin with each letter in the word SPRING.
c. Read books where the authors’ last names begin with each letter in the word SPRING.

Bonus:
1. Read a book with the name of a flower in the title.
2. Read a book with a flower(s) on the cover.
3. Read a book where the main character’s name is the name of a flower.

Example:
S ~ Sheriff’s Surrender, The by Susan Page Davis or Susan Page Davis, The Sheriff’s Surrender or Stevenson, Robert Louis – Treasure Island
P ~
R ~
I ~
N ~
G ~

I went thru my list of books on my TBR list and found that I have books of every letter just waiting to be read.  Surprise, Surprise.  Here is my list of books that I am going to attempt to read:

S =  Sisters by Nancy Jensen

P = The Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

R = The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty

I = In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long

N = Night Swim by Jessica Keener

G = The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain - just received from Net Galley

I am really looking forward to reading some of your reviews of books relating to SPRING!!!!

Happy Reading

Fictional Tapestry Challenge 2011

I am now starting The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen - My second book in the Fictional Tapestry Challenge 2011

Fictional Tapestry Challenge 2011

Fictional Tapestry Challenge

Galileo's Daughter by David Sobel
The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen
Madame Tussaud - by Michelle Moran
New York -by Edward Rutherford
Orchard Affair by Lauren Willig
Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth
Rebekah's Journey by Ann Bell
Secret's of the Tudor Court by Ray Decree
Queen Hereafter by Susan Frazer King
Vanishing Point by Mary Shaffett
Winter Sea by Suzanna Keally

Jane Austen Mystery

My Choices for the Jane Austen Mystery Challenge 2011

√ Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (1996)
Jane and the Man of the Cloth (1997)
Jane and the Wandering Eye (1998)
Jane and the Genius of the Place (1999)
Jane and the Stillroom Maid (2000)
Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House (2001)
Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (2003)
Jane and His Lordship’s Legacy (2005)
Jane and the Barque of Frailty (2006)
Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (2010)
Jane and the Canterbury Tale (2011)
Challenge Details
Time-line: The Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge runs January 1, through December 31, 2011.

My Choices for the Historical Tapestry Challenge

This is the first Challenge I have entered. I hope I can pull it off. Here goes.!!!

Galileo's Daughter by David Sobel
The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen
Madame Tussaud - by Michelle Moran
New York -by Edward Rutherford
Orchard Affair by Lauren Willig
Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth
Rebekah's Journey by Ann Bell
Secret's of the Tudor Court by Ray Decree
Queen Hereafter by Susan Frazer King
Vanishing Point by Mary Shaffett
Winter Sea by Suzanna Kearsley