Not my usual genre, so I’m not the best judge. This read like a fan-fiction takeoff from some beat-em-up, shoot-em-up movie. Ordinarily I would be ok with that...but this just tried too hard. Characters and their interactions were so far-fetched I found myself rolling my eyes. Giving it 3 stars simply because I believe some readers may find the action or romance worth looking past the sheer incredulity of the entire thing.

Every heart is made to pour out. But sometimes we're wounded and what we pour has soured and turned to poison. You get to choose. Poison or antidote? Life or death?



South Florida is a launching point for both human and sex trafficking. It is is the perfect storm to pick up young girls and move these women on boats to the highest bidder. Murphy Shepherd is the keeper of the water. In his line of work, he knows the abandoned and forgotten. He was rescued by his mentor known as Fingers and together they made it a life mission to rescue others. Murphy has also known love with Marie which their love story plays out in past tense with a tragic end and twist. Murphy now with the loss of mentor and having to say goodbye by laying his ashes to rest in the ocean, he meets Summer a mother frantically looking for her daughter who is now a victim of the sex trade. Martin weaves a heart wrenching story of love lost and found. Murphy's search for closure to the ones he lost, he finds something bigger than himself.

Martin is the equivalent Christian author of Nicholas Spark. He brings deep seeded meaning to the longing of the heart. His writing is not preachy but it gives answers deep questions of why and who and gives the reader space to reflect on our human needs. Using the story of the leaving the 99 to find the one lost sheep, reflects the value that God has on the broken and weary. Murphy's search reminds us the possibilities of what and who we may find.

A special thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review


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I'm sorry but I couldn't get past the first few chapters. I tried several times. Even tried audio. It was too violent and depressing. Maybe it's just because of the times we're in right now.

I really enjoyed this book, though I found the last part somewhat frustrating. There was too much over explanation with an apparent need to tie up every last detail. The author laid out an interesting story within a story, and I was very surprised at several plot twists and turns. This novel offers a terrifying glimpse into the world of human trafficking..

I was given an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley
#thewaterkeeper

#’The Water Keeper’ is number 14 for author #Charles Martin. And before anyone gets to read his books his famliy reviews them first. His son Charlie gives a wonderful story on his online site(Dads site). And the ending is your going to need to stay up all night!”And remember...the day you pick this book up is the day you become temporary unavailable to the world “.
Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on a island, tending the grounds of a church with no parishioners, and he’s dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril...

I have to clarify this review by stating that I had no idea that this was Christian fiction when I selected it to read. I don’t normally read Christian fiction, so this review is from someone who is probably not the intended audience.

The main character of the book is Murphy Shepherd. He is a man with many talents, and has set his life on saving women and girls who are being sold into sex trafficing rings.

Murph works the intracoastal area of Florida. He begins this leg of his journey when he pulls Summer out of the water. Summer is a distraught mother who is searching for her daughter Angel who has gotten on a yacht with some people who procure the girls for the sex trafficing industry.

The book begins with some obvious Christian overtones and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue to read it. It’s just not really what I want to read, however I stuck with it and I’m glad I did. Once the story kicks in, the Christianity falls off and the page turning drama starts.

The story line was good, if a little unbelievable at times. Murph making amazing rescues and always managing to be a few steps ahead of the bad guys. However, it did hold my interest and I did keep reading to see how he was going to save the girls.

There is a lot of description of the intercoastal waterways of Florida. A lot. In detail. I think if you lived in the area, you would find it enjoyable and interesting, as it was, I skimmed a lot of it.

There is also a lot of emotional introspection.

All in all, I found it an enjoyable read.

I received an ARC of the book.

Charles Martin is a gifted writer. He really gets to know his subject from the heart and captivates the reader.

Always love Charles Martin books. The characters were instantly likeable. Girls lost in sex trafficking, men who were their saviors, one a former priest. Why were they doing this? A twist in the story that makes it remarkable.

If you have never read anything by Charles Martin I just need to ask, what are you waiting for?

His writing is very unique and I think his stories would appeal to men and women. The things I like about his stories are things that I might not appreciate with other authors, but the way he tackles it gives the story intrigue. For example, nothing is clear at the beginning. Many things are introduced and none of them have a landing place. Murph doesn’t come out and say what he is doing in the first scene for quite a while after the scene is over. Even though I felt confused at times this only pushed me to keep reading so I could put all of the pieces together.

Honestly, the way a lot of the characters act don’t seem realistic but I eat it up in Charles’ books, I believe it for whatever reason.

If you are looking for a different read then your typical Christian fiction then I encourage you to pick this one up.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors. His books never disappoint. They are always page turners and The Water Keeper was no different. There were so many twists and turns that I could not put it down! I love that this story took place in Florida so I was familiar with many of the areas that the author described. The action was amazing, the characters were well written and the subject matter was also well written. I love an animal in my stories, so I absolutely adored Gunner! This story is full of hope, love, loss, and redemption. I highly recommend. I will be eagerly awaiting the author's next book! Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

One of my favorite books of the year! However I do believe this should have been classified as a thriller!

Murph, the mysterious hero of this novel, is an expert on rescuing young girls from the sex trade. Taking place in Florida, he is a master boatman and knows the waters well which helps him track down the bad guys. Along the way he picks up a few stray passengers and helps them in their quests as well. There is a wonderful Labrador dog who saves the day (I too have a yellow lab so my heart went out to this book at this part).

I loved the references to a Colorado ghost town, and loved how vivid the imagery, and plot was. This one is beautifully written, but it is hard for me to give away any more plot points. I think it is best to go into this one blind. I think this would make a great escape read. If you like James Bond movies and don’t mind suspending belief a bit, this one would work for you!

The Water Keeper is an intense read diving into religion, fidelity, love amidst a human trafficking landscape. For some of the characters, can the promise of redemption be realized?

Martin tells a compelling story that keeps you engaged. I found some of the plot points to be a little too coincidental.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Thomas Nelson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charles Martin is one of my top authors. I have read all of his books and "Wrapped in Rain" is still one of my all time favorites. This book is centered around sex trafficking in the southern United States - it's a huge problem that not as many people know about and I'm glad Martin chose to set a book around it. The action was exciting and well written.
I am not sure why but I did not like this one as much as some of his others. There were too many metaphors and symbolism to keep up with the plot. I thought parts of it were very unbelievable in some of the actions scenes.
I love this author and will definitely read his next novel but this one was not one of my favorites.


Thank you to NetGalley, Charles Martin, and Thomas Nelson for my complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sadly I couldn't finish this book. It was too graphic for my taste and the theme was rather heavy. There was too much graphic information about extravagant women (there is mention of naked women), unacceptable behavior, suicide, and even though it was portrayed as something bad, I didn't have to read that much description to understand what the author wanted to say.
For a second I thought this was reading a mainstream book 🥴. Not my cup of tea, but if you enjoy spy style books, mysteries, and are not put off but the above mentioned, by all means, go and give it a try :)

Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors, and this book is another great one! With more action and adventure than his usual novel, it is a gripping and moving tale of suffering, loss, and love. Highly recommended!

Wow!! What an amazing new book from Charles Martin!! I did not want to put it down and that is one of my top priorities for a 5-star book. It took a few chapters to get in to it, but once the action started and I met the characters it was a "must read". There was a great cast of characters in the book that spanned the gamut from young to old and even a great dog named Gunner. There is definitely some high stakes action as Murphy Shepherd, the main character, gets involved in searching for a young girl that has unknowingly become involved in a high-profile sex trafficking ring. I loved how Martin brings in side stories from supporting characters such as Summer who he rescues out of the Intercoastal Waterway and Clay Pettybone, an ex-convict, who joins the crew along the way. I love a story based on the water and when you mix it with mystery, drama and a little romance, I'm along for the ride. I hated to see this book end and I would highly recommend you add it to your summer reading list. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Also, posted review on Goodreads.

3.5 Stars

Charles Martin has been on my TBR radar for a while, and even more so after hearing him speak on a panel last winter. So, with the release of The Water Keeper, I decided to mark this author off my list of want-to-reads.

Martin takes a hard look at human trafficking and how girls are manipulated and targeted. There are some great plot twists in the book (although I feel like I saw the big one coming from the get-go). There’s a romance that sprouts and Murph picks up some interesting characters along the way.

At times the plot gets too convoluted, though. It’s difficult to distinguish what is real life and what is meant as metaphor. Some scenes were a little much with the graphic violence or descriptions but overall the heart of the message Martin shares is there.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson & NetGalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

This is my first Charles Martin book and I was hooked! The detailed descriptions of the coast and the twists and turns kept me engaged and I couldn't put it down.

This is storytelling at its best, complex and action packed. His writing has great imagery as well as a great plot line,

The writing was very well done, and the subject matter was timely. I did struggle to connect with the characters and the dialogue didn't click for me personally. Though the plot was fairly predictable, it was well-written.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is completely my own opinion.