The Good Father-Diane Chamberlain

The Good Father


Diane Chamberlain

Mira, Apr 247 2012, $14.95

ISBN: 9780778313465



In Carolina Beach, North Carolina, twenty-three year old Travis Brown is a single dad raising his four year old daughter Bella alone; as he has since her birth. Desperate to bring in some needed income since the dearth of construction jobs in the area, he takes on a risky illegal job in Raleigh; leaving Bella with thirtyish Erin, whose baby daughter recently died in an accident.



Not far away, Bella’s mother Robin regrets her decision four years ago. She struggles with adapting to being the fiancée of charismatic Dale running for the mayor of Beaufort. Robin, Travis, and Bella each in their own way focus on what they respectively believe is the best for the toddler; not grasping by doing so they feel a bit better about themselves.



Rotating perspective between the three prime adults, The Good Father is an engaging character study as the trio want to do what is best to the child who ties them together. Readers learn the past and present and future hopes of the prime trio (and to a lesser degree game-maker Mike) as each is fully developed with doubts and trepidations but encouraged by Bella to be better than they think they can be. Although the ending is over the top of Mount Mitchell, fans will agree “nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina …” (Carolina In The Morning by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn) with Diane Chamberlain as our hostess.



Harriet Klausner

The Good Father-Diane Chamberlain

The Good Father


Diane Chamberlain

Mira, Apr 247 2012, $14.95

ISBN: 9780778313465



In Carolina Beach, North Carolina, twenty-three year old Travis Brown is a single dad raising his four year old daughter Bella alone; as he has since her birth. Desperate to bring in some needed income since the dearth of construction jobs in the area, he takes on a risky illegal job in Raleigh; leaving Bella with thirtyish Erin, whose baby daughter recently died in an accident.



Not far away, Bella’s mother Robin regrets her decision four years ago. She struggles with adapting to being the fiancée of charismatic Dale running for the mayor of Beaufort. Robin, Travis, and Bella each in their own way focus on what they respectively believe is the best for the toddler; not grasping by doing so they feel a bit better about themselves.



Rotating perspective between the three prime adults, The Good Father is an engaging character study as the trio want to do what is best to the child who ties them together. Readers learn the past and present and future hopes of the prime trio (and to a lesser degree game-maker Mike) as each is fully developed with doubts and trepidations but encouraged by Bella to be better than they think they can be. Although the ending is over the top of Mount Mitchell, fans will agree “nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina …” (Carolina In The Morning by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn) with Diane Chamberlain as our hostess.



Harriet Klausner

I Am An Executioner: Love Stories- Rajesh Parameswaran

I Am An Executioner: Love Stories


Rajesh Parameswaran

Knopf, Apr 10 2012, $24.95

ISBN: 9780307595928



These fascinating nine tales provide wonderful Kafka twists to “Love Stories.” All the entries are well written with intriguing protagonists (not all human as a frustrated in love tiger stars in “The Infamous Bengal Ming” and an elephant writes her autobiography with footnotes in “Elephants in Captivity”) giving readers insight into the foibles of love. In “The Strange Case of Dr. Raju Gopalatahan”, CompUSA fires Gopie who takes out a shingle and becomes Dr. G. In the title story, the executioner pleads with his beloved that he is a bureaucrat doing his job, not a psychopath. Savirtri shows how much she loves her husband Ravi when she prepares for their Thanksgiving weekend with him lying dead on their floor. With the “Narration of Agent 97-1702’ investigating Subject 243-66328 and love in the future “On the banks of Table River (Planet Lucina, Andromeda Galaxy, AD 2319)” fans will appreciate this anthology’s amusing metaphysical satirizing of love.



Harriet Klausner

The Beginner's Goodbye-Anne Tyler

The Beginner's Goodbye


Anne Tyler

Knopf, Apr 3 2012, $24.95

ISBN: 9780307957276



Thirty something Aaron works at the family publishing firm that prints the Beginners self-help series. He is happily mattered to older Dorothy, a doctor whom he met when she was working on a medical book published by his company. Aaron believes life is good in spite of a useless arm and leg until a tree crashes into their home killing Dorothy. The widower struggles with his grief.



Aaron moves back into the house he grew up in that sister Nandina owns in Baltimore. He begins seeing and hearing Dorothy’s ghost though he knows that is probably a PTSD defense mechanism for him to deny she has moved on; he also realizes his perfect view of their marriage ignored cracks. Burying himself in his work, Aaron realizes the guidebooks on moving on in life are generalities as grief is customized.



This is an engaging character study of a man who struggles with loss until he begins to understand that the whole (of one’s essence) equals the sum of all the parts (including the onetime microscopic). Complex as the audience learns much about Aaron, Dorothy and their marriage, as love does not denote happiness and camaraderie, as it can be destructive as well as constructive. Aaron’s surreal path to enlightenment never quite gels as he seems more childlike rather than a thirty-six year old widower mourning the tragic death of his wife. Still readers will enjoy The Beginner’s Guide to coping with grief.



Harriet Klausner

The Last Romanov-Dora Levy Mossanen

The Last Romanov


Dora Levy Mossanen

Sourcebooks, Apr 3 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9781402265945



In 1887 she was born an orphan in an ancient forest near the Romanov Palace. Still alive in 1991, Darya Borodina Spiridova has seen so much change in her hundred and four years especially in beloved Russia. She remembers how the Royal family adopted her as one of them and their advisor Rasputin the “Mad Monk” proclaiming she will be the cause of the Romanov downfall due to her paranormal gift granted by the Ancient One. Seeking redemption, Darya believes that can only come if she locates the long lost Last Romanov. On her journey for salvation, she looks deeply into her past focusing on her role when the Revolution and subsequent executions happened.



This is a great tale that provides the audience with a deep look at the end of the Romanovs though the quest of a centenarian as the Soviet Union disintegrates. Engaging from the moment readers meet Darya, Dora Levy Mossanen writes a wonderful mystical historical as the road to redemption has plenty of detours and roadblocks; many of which are created within one’s mind.



Harriet Klausner

The Shoemaker’s Wife-Adriana Trigiani

The Shoemaker’s Wife


Adriana Trigiani

Harper, Apr 3 2012, $26.99

ISBN: 9780061257094



In the Italian Alps, seven years old Ciro Lazzari is numb with denial as his grieving recently widowed mother places him and his older brother Eduardo in a convent before vanishing. At the same time Enza Ravanelli lives nearby while raised in a warm poor family.



As teens, they meet when Ciro digs the grave for Enza’s sister. They are attracted to one another, but he observes scandalous behavior by the priest so the father exiles him and his sibling to Little Italy in New York where Ciro becomes the shoemaker’s apprentice. Soon afterward Enza is also forced to go to America where she finds work in Hoboken. When they meet in Manhattan, they realize they still remain attracted to one another. However, he fails to act on his feelings before being shipped overseas to fight on the western front. While she obtains work as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House a reflective and despondent, Ciro prays he can go home soon to correct his greatest mistake; failing to ask his beloved to marry him.



This is a super historical epic thriller that grips readers with a welcoming of immigrants who have brought so much to this country but also contains a profound message in which living denotes overcoming what you lost. The early twentieth century storyline is brought alive by tidbits like the type of combat in WWI and the power of the Church in Italy (and to a lesser degree in New York and New Jersey. Readers will appreciate the escapades of two immigrants seeking the American dream.



Harriet Klausner

The Wedding Beat-Devan Sipher

The Wedding Beat


Devan Sipher

NAL, Apr 3 2012, $14.00

ISBN: 9780451235794



On New Year’s Day in New York, wedding columnist Gavin attends a party he hates as everyone attending is tied to medicine. The only positive is when he sees her across the crowded room. Escaping to a patio, he is surprised to meet Melinda who asks if he has a bungee cord so that they can flee the lunacy without walking through the gauntlet. As they chat while strolling in the moonlight, New York style, he is attracted to Melinda but fails to get her last name, phone number or email address.



After kicking himself in the butt for being an idiot, Gavin tries to locate Melinda with the information he knows about her. This leads him to other women, but no Melinda. His paper assigns him to cover a wedding in which Melinda is the bride to a groom whom Gavin feels is unworthy of her.



The Wedding Beat is an enjoyable intelligent character study of a romantic seeking a woman he fantasizes over. The support cast is solid as most add sarcastic humor like his dad who has his son divorced even though he never married. Although the final coda weakens the impact of a strong bittersweet love story, readers will enjoy the quest of the wedding reporter who works on a paper filled with Pulitzers.



Harriet Klausner