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    The Good Father
    The Good Father
    The Good Father
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Good Father

    Written by Diane Chamberlain

    Narrated by Kirby Heyborne, Arielle DeLisle and Emily Durante

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    About this audiobook

    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 one-time 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 22, 2013
    ISBN9781452681931
    Author

    Diane Chamberlain

    Diane Chamberlain is the bestselling author of twenty novels, including The Midwife's Confession and The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. Diane lives in North Carolina and is currently at work on her next novel. Visit her Web site at www.dianechamberlain.com and her blog at www.dianechamberlain.com/blog and her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Diane.Chamberlain.Readers.Page.

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    Reviews for The Good Father

    4/5

    135 ratings18 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Fantastic story. I loved it. Narrators were perfect! Story was great.
    • 4/5
      Travis is single parent to Bella, doi get a great job until life starts to unravel.Erin is mourning the tragic death of her daughter.Robin is embroiled in the mayoral family, and begining to wonder why.Three apparently unconnected life stories. Until one bad decision.An enthralling story
    • 4/5
      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 listI 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.
    • 4/5
      Sometimes I hate reading really good books, because they're harder to review. I just really enjoyed this book. After a month of struggling to finish a book, of revisiting books I practically know by heart, this book was exactly what I needed. It's over 300 pages, and I read it in three sittings - only because I had to accomplish things in real life. I was drawn in from the beginning by the realistic characters Chamberlain introduces us to; there are a lot of names right from the start, and several different points of view throughout the novel, but the people are never difficult to tell apart.
      I feel like I can't tell much about the plot without giving away the good parts; there is suspense and it's not overdone and is just enough to keep you reading "just one more" chapter even when your eyes are closing with exhaustion. I'll keep it brief: first, you meet Travis, barely out of his teens, and his four-year-old daughter Bella. You get hints about the mother, then you're introduced to the mother. Then other key players come in and you're sucked into their lives and emotions. Everything culminates in a way I never could have imagined when I started the book, but seemed just right.
    • 5/5
      Chamberlain writes such appealing stories with well-described characters. I loved reading this novel and could not put it down once I was into the page by page happenings.
    • 3/5
      Diane Chamberlain draws me again with her thoughtful story of family and life.
    • 5/5
      Travis has been raising his (now) 4-year old girl with the help of his mother (at his mother’s home). But when their home burns down and his mother dies, Travis and Bella have nowhere to go. And Travis has lost his job. In looking for construction work, he gets caught up in other work he shouldn’t have, putting people’s lives (including Bella’s) at risk. I listened to the audio, which was very well done, in addition to it being a very engaging story. The audio had three different narrators, for the three characters who told the story. Travis was one; Bella’s mother Robin was another; and a woman Travis and Bella met while looking for a job, Erin, was the third. The story itself pulled me in immediately, then it went back in time a bit to hear how we got to that point, from Travis’s point of view. Robin’s POV went back and forth in time from when she met Travis and she later got pregnant… all while dealing with a heart problem; also her current life, 4 years later, as the fiancee of a well-known, well-connected man, running for mayor. Erin’s POV also included the current timeline, when she met Travis and Bella while Travis was looking for a job, and back in time to her married life, with a little girl she lost. After the book drew me in at the start, I just wanted to keep listening to find out what would happen. Be warned that a Kleenex comes in handy at points. For a while, I thought I wasn’t going to like how it appeared to be heading toward the ending, but I was ok with it, after all.
    • 3/5
      A very good book that I read in one sitting while cruising the Norwegian Sea! I thought the characters were well-developed and I liked the chapters switching from one character to another. The only thing I didn't like was the whole drug thing because the thug was very unbelievable.
    • 4/5
      This is a story of a single father, totally dedicated to his daughter, but caught up in a crime that he undertakes reluctantly and which expands in its complexity and danger. A gripping story.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this book (NOOK) and did not want it to end (difficult, since I could not put it down)! Inspiring, this book was centered in seaside NC (native) with three main strong and loveable characters, each with struggles of their own with personal growth, healing, and lessons to be learned. The plot planning and writing style were excellent—with tensions building throughout the book. You felt connected to each of the main characters – how desperation drives actions, choices, and outcomes. It was like fate at the coffee house---each person was there for the other.

      I fell in love with all the characters; however, the strongest personality was Erin with raw and emotional feelings. Travis was an excellent father to Bella, even though at times you had to second guess his choices (even though he was acting out of desperation), and Robin a victim men controlling her life- teaching her to avoid conflict, having missed the joy of love and motherhood (who came through in the end like a champ). The Good Father is definitely movie worthy, or possibly a sequel. I look forward to reading more from Diane Chamberlain—highly recommend! An excellent discussion guide and ideal for book clubs—belongs on the best seller list!
    • 4/5
      Very readable, beautifully told, by three separarte characters, all coming together towards the close of the story. 
    • 3/5
      Well written book with good character development and dialogue. I think the title and the blurb didn't do it justice as it deals more deeply with being a parent and the loss of a child, not just with the story of the father and his daughter. The plot got a little convoluted at the end and things tied up a little too neatly but still was a satisfying read.
    • 5/5
      Thought provoking.This was a highly thought provoking read, centred around the question of what really constitutes a 'good father'. Yes, he'd have to be loving, caring, thoughtful etc, but how far should he go for his child - should he commit crime to keep her fed and watered?I was gripped from the first page of this book, which was expertly narrated by the three main characters: Travis, Bella's father, Robin, her mother, and Erin, recently bereaved of her own young daughter, but who is drawn to the waif-like child.The characters and their backgrounds are gradually revealed as we read and I'm hesitant to give too much away here for fear of spoiling your enjoyment. I think it was this gradual insight into the characters' backgrounds and the subsequent events that made the book such an excellent read.Bella is just six and has been raised by her teenage father with the help of his mother. She has never met her mother. Travis has managed to make ends meet and provide for Bella and his mother with his carpentry and building skills. Then the recession hits the building trade and work becomes harder to find. On top of this, tragedy strikes and Travis has to make some very difficult decisions in order to keep Bella from being taken by the authorities.Erin, having lost her own daughter, is struggling to lead a normal life. The heavy blanket of grief that she carries with her is momentarliy lifted when Bella comes into the coffee house where she is checking her e mails, and goes into the bathroom with her father to wash and clean her teeth. Gradually their paths become more and more entwined and Erin's decisions become pivotal to the story.Although Bella's mother, Robin, gave her daughter up at birth, she had good reason. As she makes a new life for herself, thoughts of the baby that she never knew begin to creep up on her. All she knows is that the child is baing raised by Travis.This is only the second book by Diane Chamberlain that I've read but both books were five star reads. Definitely an author that I will choose in the future.This would be an excellent book for a book group discussion. Highly recommended to all readers with a concience.Also read:The Lost Daughter - 5 stars
    • 5/5
      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
    • 4/5
      Having recently enjoyed my first title by Diane Chamberlain, Secrets She Left Behind (for which a review is well overdue) I couldn’t resist the premise of The Good Father. Travis Brown is raising his four year old daughter Bella alone. It’s a sacrifice, but one he has never had any doubts about until tragedy leaves the pair broke and homeless. Desperate to provide for his daughter, Travis makes a difficult decision that has unforeseen consequences that may prove devastating.Chamberlain apologetically tugs hard at the heart strings in The Good Father. Travis, only twenty three, has not had an easy time of it. His teenage romance with Bella’s mother ended badly and it wasn’t until Bella was born and he was approached to sign adoption papers that he was aware he had a daughter. The custody fight was bitter yet Travis prevailed, his only thought to love and provide for his newborn child. I really like that Chamberlain chose a male protagonist for the story, so often in women’s fiction it is the men who run from responsibility, in this instance the roles are reversed with Bella’s biological mother unable to face parenting the child. Travis has been doing the best he can but he is young and lacks resources so when tragedy strikes he doesn’t have a lot to fall back on. Love and determination, sadly, is not always enough to keep body and soul together and though Travis tries hard his desperation leads him to make some unwise decisions. Chamberlain provides realistic motivations for Travis’s mistakes, his youth, his pride and his unwavering love for his daughter all contributing to his predicament.While Travis makes many mistakes, placing his faith in Erin proves not to be one of them. Erin, who is struggling with her own tragedy, inadvertently becomes caught up in the drama that unfolds for Travis and Bella. She is a very sympathetic character not only because of her personal history but also because of the situation she finds herself in. I can understand her motives and her inner conflict in choosing what the right thing to do is.Bella’s biological mother, Robin, plays a part in the story. We discover her reasons for giving her baby up and Chamberlain ensures she has our sympathy. In the four years since Bella’s birth circumstances have changed dramatically for Robin, she is on the verge of marrying into a socially prominent family but the birth of her teenage sister-in-law-to-be’s baby has her reexamining her choices. When Robin was introduced in to the story I immediately formed an idea of where Chamberlain planned to take the plot but I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong and I enjoyed having my expectations subverted.The three points of view in The Good Father provides a well rounded perspective of the plot. The novel has elements of suspense and romance but it is the emotion that Chamberlain evokes that carries it. You grow to feel strongly for these characters and want them to have what they need and want. The epilogue ensures closure which I always appreciate.The Good Father is a story of three adults whose good intentions do not always coincide with good choices, or good outcomes. Heartwarming and emotional it’s a satisfying and engaging read that will left me eager to read more by Diane Chamberlain.
    • 4/5
      The Good Father is about a young single father who is desperate to provide for his small daughter. He takes on a questionable job, and finds himself mixed up in situations he would never have knowingly entered. He unwittingly endangers his child's life and his own. The story is told from his perspective, but also from a woman he befriends and from the child's mother.I've learned to expect a really interesting plot from Diane Chamberlain, and The Good Father exceeded that expectation. This is a suspenseful page turner! It's well grounded with very relatable characters, so it appeals both as a "women's fiction" novel and as a suspense/thriller.Disclosure: I received this book free from NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      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 entwined with Travis and his daughter. What choices does one make when he is desperate? Definitely disagreed with many that Travis made, but people often make wrong choices when they can see no other way. Loved the way this novel was related with alternate chapters narrated by the different characters. So much easier to keep track of. Also like how things are slowly revealed, such as answering the question of what happened to Bella's mother? Read this right through, the book hooks the reader and makes them want to find out, what is going to happen?
    • 5/5
      In one word, excellent. This is one of those books that I'd give 6 stars too if I could. This will be an all time favorite book of mine and I will recommend it every chance I get.I don't want to say too much about the book because I don't want to give anything away for another reader so I'll keep it simple.This book is about a single dad, Travis, who is doing his best to raise his 4yr old little girl, Bella, when tragedy strikes and his world slowly falls apart.I sure hope Diane Chamberlain gets all the credit she's due with this one. I told my sister while I was reading that I can't wait to see how it ends and at the same time I didn't want it to end.