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James J. Cudney
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Father Figure Kindle Edition

by James J. Cudney (Author), Nicki Kuzn (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 243 ratings

Between the fast-paced New York City, a rural Mississippi town and a charming Pennsylvania college campus filled with secrets, two young girls learn the consequences of growing up too quickly.

Abused by her mother, Amalia Graeme longs to escape her desolate hometown and fall in love. Contemplating her loss of innocence and conflicting feelings between her boyfriend and the dangerous attraction for an older man, Amalia faces life-altering tragedies.

Brianna Porter, a sassy, angst-ridden New York City teenager, yearns to find her life’s true purpose, conquer her fear of abandonment, and interpret an intimidating desire for her best friend, Shanelle. Desperate to find the father whom her mother refuses to reveal, Brianna accidentally finds out a shocking truth about her missing parent.

Set in alternating chapters two decades apart, the parallels between their lives and the unavoidable collision that is bound to happen is revealed. Father Figure is an emotional story filled with mystery, romance, and suspense.

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "The book deals with abuse, identity, acceptance, overcoming obstacles, crime, sexuality, family secrets, and knowing who you are. Another great story to read, especially if you love emotive, suspenseful family dramas."

★★★★★ - "Gripping and emotional... Mr. Cudney has written a book full of twists and turns that kept my eyes glued to its pages."

★★★★★ - "Amalia and Brianna are fully developed characters with all the fears, naivety, anxiety and angst of teen, young adults; full of questions and doubts... Can't wait for James Cudney's next work."

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  1. Print length
    467 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 2, 2018
  4. Reading age
    16 - 18 years
  5. File size
    3.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Mary Deal, Author of "The Ka" and ~10 other novels, Artist"A book I stayed up all night to finish. Practical as I am, I've never done that before. This is Cudney's second book and I have read both. He has the ability to create human emotion as specifically required by the characters he creates. He tells this story from the point of view of the two female characters. Surely, he has a deep understanding of and human nature... All the character threads are intrinsically entwined, the twists and turns unexpected. It makes me wonder how this young author understands so much that he is able to turn his knowledge of life into a story such as this. Surely, he has a phenomenal imagination." Beware of Reader Reviews"Secrets are unearthed, revelations come to light and you realize that Cudney truly IS a mastermind. A genius scheming writer. He places seemingly innocent facts here and there, fortuitous encounters, little crumbs and we don't realize all the intricate connections between these threads before a big reveal! "BrizzleLass Reviews"Father Figure took me down a new emotional highway revisiting places I'd been before and felt uncomfortable visiting again but knew I needed to see to understand these characters, along with some new places that made me feel bonded to these characters in an unusually intimate way. This is a cracking novel that you don't want to miss."Crystal's Book World Reviews"The angst I had reading this book, stays with me long after. My heart aches for the characters, yet I see a story that was beautifully written. I never got lost in the course of this book, and in the end I was blown away! Seriously folks, I am letting the emotions I am free falling from write this review."Darque Dreamer Reviews"Father Figure is powerful, emotional, and breath taking! With a hard-hitting story line, and amazingly dynamic characters, this one is sure to impress! For those who love stories of struggle, heartache, and overcoming obstacles, you need to pick this one up!"

From the Author

Many thanks for reading the book!

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07BW77CWQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Next Chapter (April 2, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 2, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 467 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B08NRZ93NN
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 243 ratings

About the author

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James J. Cudney

James J. Cudney

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James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island, lived in New York City for over a decade, and currently live in Stamford, CT, but I've traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I began working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment, media, retail, and hospitality industries. Although I enjoy my job, I also want to re-focus on my passions: telling stories and connecting people through literature.

In 2017, I published my debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor, and romance. The sequel, Hiding Cracked Glass, released exactly three years later in 2020. I've also written another family drama novel, Father Figure, and created the Braxton Campus Mysteries, a light investigation series about a humorous thirty-something guy dealing with murders and the drama of a small town. I've also co-authored a book, Weathering Old Souls, with the wonderful Didi Oviatt.

Most of my books are available in hardcover, paperback, electronic, and audiobook formats, as well as in a variety of bookstores. We've begun translating into Portuguese, Spanish, German, Greek, and Italian for some of the books too. To see samples or receive news from my current and upcoming books, please subscribe with your email address at my website: https://jamesjcudney.com.

Outside of writing, I'm an avid genealogist (discovered 2,500 family members going back about 250 years) and cook (I find it so hard to follow a recipe). I love to read; between Goodreads and my blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, I have over 1,000 book reviews which will give you a full flavor for my voice and style. On my blog, I share several fun features, including the Book Bucket List, Tips & Advice, Author Spotlights & Book Alerts, and the 365 Daily Challenge, where I post a word each day that has some meaning to me, then converse with everyone about life. You'll find tons of humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers... where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have segments where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real and show how I live every day.

A bit of humor: Everything doubles as something else when you live in NYC. For me, it’s the dining room, my favorite space in the apartment, where more than just my cooking is on display! As I look out the windows onto a 12th floor terrace, various parts of nature (trees, bushes, flowers, bugs & animals) inspire me to write. Baxter, a two-year-old shiba inu, constantly tries to stop me from writing so I can play with him and keep him amused. How else can you pen the best story possible without these things by your side?

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
243 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a thrilling novel with a compelling story that intertwines past and future. They describe it as a page-turner with well-developed characters, and one customer notes how it explores themes of emotional and physical abuse. Customers praise the writing quality.

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28 customers mention "Suspenseful story"25 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of the book, which intertwines past and future, with one customer noting its terrific plot and another highlighting its twists and turns.

"...Father figure is filled with twists and turns and loads of suspense as the story intertwines past and future, building to an emotional rollercoaster..." Read more

"...I enjoyed the thrills and surprises that happened in this story. I was glad I read this book. So much emotion and intrigue...." Read more

"This was a truly engaging read. Structured in alternative chapters, it presented the story of two young women living twenty years apart, one..." Read more

"A story about two teenage girls. For Amalia, it's the mid-1980s, and she's desperate to leave her small town in Mississippi...." Read more

15 customers mention "Readability"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a page-turner with a satisfying conclusion.

"...It’s a journey well worth the time and a novel I highly recommend. Thanks for another fantastic read, Mr. Cudney!" Read more

"...A real page-turner and another proof that the author is one of my favorites. Quote from the book: “Life just happens sometimes...." Read more

"...Overall I absolutely love this book and I highly recommend this to everyone but I will say that this book touches on topics that can be triggering..." Read more

"...I absolutely loved Cudley’s first novel, Watching Glass Shatter. This one was no exception!..." Read more

11 customers mention "Emotion level"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, with one review noting how it explores themes of emotional and physical abuse.

"...adult, coming of age story that tugged at every emotion―love, hate, sadness, astonishment, disbelief, fear, contempt, compassion, and finally, the..." Read more

"...I was glad I read this book. So much emotion and intrigue. The author was very clever in his plot." Read more

"...A contemporary story with an intriguing mystery. Tragic and heartbreaking." Read more

"...Figure is well written and an addictive novel filled with a bottle full of emotions. I can't wait to read Cudney's other book!" Read more

11 customers mention "Writing quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written, with one customer specifically praising the tasteful scenes.

"...I applaud Mr. Cudney for tastefully written scenes that could have been more explicit...." Read more

"...Humorous at times, this beautifully written and perfectly paced story deals with many themes..." Read more

"...I think Jay is a phenomenal writer. Between his debut novel Watching Glass Shatter and this one he has blown me away with his story telling...." Read more

"...Father Figure is well written and an addictive novel filled with a bottle full of emotions. I can't wait to read Cudney's other book!" Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...The characters are strong, well-described, and unique. The twists and turns, with a dash of mystery, are often unexpected...." Read more

"...The characters are great. The story is woven as though the author was a real pro at creating juxtapositioning, a difficult process in any story...." Read more

"...With a host of intriguing characters dealing with a multitude of issues, I couldn't put it down. The drama is heavy but the twists kept me invested...." Read more

"...book had the same qualities: lots of juicy family drama, great character development and a mystery at the center of it all...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • E. Denise Billups
    5.0 out of 5 stars Emotional-Charged Suspense from Beginning to End
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is the third book I’ve read by Mr. Cudney and I have nothing but praise for this young adult, coming of age story that tugged at every emotion―love, hate, sadness, astonishment, disbelief, fear, contempt, compassion, and finally, the exaltation and satisfaction one feels after a long journey to self-discovery. Father Figure explores emotional and physical abuse and their psychological outcomes― anxiety, anger, depression, insecurity, distrust, clouded by dark family secrets.

    Superbly, Mr. Cudney weaves the past and present stories of two unique characters, Amalia Graeme and Brianna Porter, that come together seamlessly. Amalia and Brianna, two young women of different eras, share similar issues revolving around family secrets, love, acceptance, and sexual identity. One dominant theme in each woman’s life is the elusive, consummate father figure they desire in their lives.

    Constantly abused by her monstrous mother, the only affection Amalia receives is from her adoring father who’s too weak to stand up to his wife and end her daily torment. Desperate to escape her small town and her mother’s control, Amalia leaves for college eager to discover true love, a new life, and herself. On an emotional level, Amalia seeks a man like her father, caring, mature, and wise. Will she find these qualities in the three men in her life―Bryan, Carter, or Jonah?

    ” Somedays, he was a replacement for the love I'd lost when my father died… Other days, I found myself attracted to him and his comforting arms and brilliant mind. He was an amazing man.”

    When Riley, a young man with malicious intent, appears on campus, fate alters Amalia’s expectations and dreams. Devastated by two personal losses, and brutal rape, Amalia leaves college back to her hometown, her abusive mother, and spirals into depression. Is there hope for her? Will she survive what fate has placed in her life?

    Conversely, Brianna raised by an overly protective, single mom in New York City, is anxious to unearth her real father and her mother’s secret past which Molly refuses to discuss.

    “You won't talk about anything, and the details are very fuzzy. What girl wouldn't have curiosity about her father especially when her mother goes out of her way to hide who he is?”

    To top it off, Brianna’s confused by her feelings for her best friend Shanelle, but the need to find her father overshadows her uncertain sexual identity.

    “Brianna ultimately traced her indecisiveness and lack of comfort within her own skin to an all-consuming need to discover the identity of her father…Fathers always protected their little girls and showered them with love.”

    Off to college and a new life as a student, Brianna discovers her mother’s diary stuffed in the bottom of an old duffel bag. What she discovers will change her life forever.

    Father Figure is aptly titled as both characters search the perfect love to fill or replace their father’s. I love the technique Mr. Cudney employs to bring each character together for the big reveal toward the end. It resembled a whodunit scenario and kept me guessing and anticipating more clues to the lucky or unlucky man. And Just as I believed I knew the answer, Mr. Cudney throws another variable into the plot, ramping up the suspense.

    As a male, writing from a female perspective, I’m astonished how well Mr. Cudney captured a teenage girls’ insecurities, doubts, and sexual anxieties. I applaud Mr. Cudney for tastefully written scenes that could have been more explicit.

    Father figure is filled with twists and turns and loads of suspense as the story intertwines past and future, building to an emotional rollercoaster and a satisfying conclusion. It’s a journey well worth the time and a novel I highly recommend. Thanks for another fantastic read, Mr. Cudney!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Rita J. Spratlen
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Exciting Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This book really surprised me during the middle of the book. It started to reveal so many secrets and the book came together for me in a new exciting way. I enjoyed the thrills and surprises that happened in this story. I was glad I read this book. So much emotion and intrigue. The author was very clever in his plot.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Nico Genes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant and gripping novel.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This was a truly engaging read. Structured in alternative chapters, it presented the story of two young women living twenty years apart, one desperately trying to run away and forget her past, the other one eager to find answers about her past and her true sexuality.

    Twenty years ago, Amalia suffered from the actions and words of an abusive mother. Her father tried to soften the pain, showing more understanding, but unfortunately not brave enough to stand up to his wife. He was the only person that comforted her in her young age. Still, she had to leave Brant and start a new life. Life plays with us often and it played big with Amelia too while she was in college. Instead of starting a new beautiful life, being happily in-love, she experienced a series of events that made her run away. What was supposed to be her way out proved to be another painful period. What did she do? She ran away and decided to keep the past buried. Was this the best decision? Did she manage to finally be happy and live a careless life? Was love again in the cards for her? The future will show.

    Now, twenty years later, Brianna was about to start college and turning 18 made her wish to find out who her father is stronger. She was at a point in life where she wanted to find answers about herself too, including her true sexuality. She felt the need to find out more about her family. Do we really need to know where we come from to know who we are?

    Humorous at times, this beautifully written and perfectly paced story deals with many themes (aggressive behaviors, physical and emotional abuse, family issues, sexuality, etc) that are far from being happy, but are definitely a part of the real life.

    The characters are strong, well-described, and unique. The twists and turns, with a dash of mystery, are often unexpected. A real page-turner and another proof that the author is one of my favorites.

    Quote from the book: “Life just happens sometimes. You can't predict it. You don't know where it will drop you off unexpectedly. You only get to pick up the pieces when it's all said and done.”
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Sandra Jackson
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Twists will Keep you Guessing
    Reviewed in Canada on April 18, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    In 1984, naïve 17-year-old, Amalia Graeme, can’t wait for college to start to get away from her hometown Brant, Mississippi and her abusive mother. The only person she’ll miss is her father. It’s just too bad that over the years he did little to protect Amalia from her mother’s physical and emotional abuse.

    20 years later, in 2004, another girl, Brianna Porter, is exploring a college campus with her best friend, Shanelle. Always feeling smothered by her over-protective mother, the only parent Brianna has ever known, she can’t wait to head off to school in the fall. Her mother wants her to choose a college close to home in New York City, but Brianna has other plans. It’s not that she doesn’t love her mother, but Brianna needs to get away so she can understand herself and figure out what she wants.

    I loved this story with all of its surprises. Just when I thought I had it figured out, a new twist turned everything around. It has been a while since a story had me uttering my shock out loud.

    Father figure is a well-woven tale of two young women decades apart. Their stories intertwine until you realize they have more in common then wanting to leave home and needing to find who they are. It is well-written with few errors either grammatically or technically. If you enjoy a well-thought out mystery, then you will enjoy this story.
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  • Jules
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've read this year (2020)
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Father Figure tells the tale of Amalia and Brianna, two young women born twenty years apart.
    Amalia longs to escape the dull town of Brant and her mother's abusive clutches. Brianna yearns to move away from New York and her over protective mother. Along with their move to a new life at college, we learn about their relationships and dreams. Brianna yearns to find out the identity of her biological Father and goes on a quest which ultimately throws both women's lives into turmoil. There are twists throughout this book that truly surprised me and made me keep wanting to read more. Mr Cudney's writing style is excellent: a really well written narrative, rounded and well portrayed characters and sparky dialogue. This book deals with some serious issues, it is a tale of family ties, desire, pain and abuse but also hope and the strength of love. Mr Cudney is a talented writer, of whose work I shall be reading more of. Five shiny gold stars for an absorbing tale.
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  • Isobel Blackthorn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and disturbing
    Reviewed in Australia on June 27, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Father Figure is a family mystery novel opening on the prologue scene of a terrible accident in a cabin at Crestwood Resort and Lodge, an accident that foreshadows the unfolding of an intriguing web of dysfunction and lies. A man holding a knife to a woman's throat, demanding to know what was in the envelope. The question - where are you hiding my daughter? The awful crash through the cabin window.

    The story jumps back to 1984, to teenage Amalia and her grotesque and vile mother, Janet, daughter of a Baptist minister. Amalia's old and infirm father, Peter, is no use when it comes to protecting her from his wife's wrath and Amalia suffers terribly from her mother's cruelty. Might be a trigger warning here for some. The abusive dynamics take place in Brant, a small town in Mississippi where the family own a store. Amalia is poised to go to college on a scholarship. She idolises her father and is eager to escape her mother's clutches. What sort of father figure is he, really?

    Meanwhile, in 2004, Brianna is hanging out with her best friend, Shanelle, at college in Pennsylvania. Brianna is the daughter of a single mum and she's on a quest to discover the identity of her father. Her mother is tightlipped and refuses to reveal all and Brianna is consumed by the not knowing.

    What unfolds in alternating chapters is a gripping mystery with all the twists and turns and narrative bounces the genre demands. Cudney has a knack of drawing the reader into what is essentially a dark and disturbing coming of age story. His descriptions evoke a strong sense of place and all the characters are well-rounded and delightfully quirky yet entirely plausible. Cudney gets inside the hearts and minds of his twin protagonists, and especially the torment of these two young women who are struggling to deal with family circumstances. In the end, what Brianna discovers will shock her to her core. Highly recommended to lovers of mysteries.
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  • Janice J. Richardson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Depth
    Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    With depth of character and insight, the author builds a story worth reading. The story unfolds as two girls mature, accept and love.
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  • Amanda GRIFFITHS-JONES
    4.0 out of 5 stars Overall a Great Book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Complex characters, descriptive settings & plenty of secrets made this a very enjoyable read. The author cleverly dropped just enough clues into each chapter & it kept me enthralled to the end. There is a lot of lengthy conversation in some parts, but this didn’t detract from the story although I did find the ending quite drawn out. Overall a great book.
    One person found this helpful
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