This was my first Martin book, which, depending on who you talk to, is either a good thing or a bad thing because supposedly it's different than anything he's written before. I personally like it when authors change it up a little, but hey... what do I know? I'm just a book addict.

Now, I'll admit... it took me a couple chapters to become invested in this story. It started off way over my head and I just wasn't connecting. But I gave myself "one more chapter" and, I'm glad I did because that chapter sunk its teeth into me and the whole thing just ramped up in intensity the further I read. It was suspenseful, fast-paced, hard to read at times (b/c of the subject matter), with a decent message and a hint of romance. (I wouldn't call it a romance, however, which I was told it was. Not a total deal breaker though.)

I'm not quite sure I understand what happened in the end--the story twisted and turned, then twisted again, so I lost track and my simple brain may need someone to explain it to me someday, but...is it weird that I'm actually okay with that? lol

Now I'm curious about Martin's other books, because... well, I want to see if they're all this intense! I personally loved that aspect of The Water Keeper. If you're looking for a book recommendation that might be outside *your* norm... I hereby give you my official recommendation (for whatever that's worth.)

I tried to read The Water Keeper. I read about four chapters and had to stop. For me, the book has too much graphic description. The story dragged, and I just didn't like the characters. I'm sure others would probably like the story, but this just isn't my cup of tea.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Through the years, Charles Martin has become one of my absolute favorite authors. I love his style of writing...his ability to capture relationships - both friendships, family and love - as well as tell deep stories in such a beautiful way. In addition, his gift of descriptive language easily transports you to the location he's writing about.

I was hooked on The Water Keeper from the very first page. This story opens with Murph setting out on his boat to spread the ashes of his closest friend. Murph's job is traveling the intercoastal waters of Florida, rescuing women/teens unknowingly involved in human trafficking. So, as he sets out on his boat, it's no surprise he encounters a number of characters who play integral pieces in his story and eventually his life.

This is an action-packed book with lots of dangerous twists and turns. There are a couple parts during the story where the way some of the things lined up seemed a bit too coincidental, but it's fiction and sometimes we just need to suspend disbelief.

I read where this may be the first of a series of books and it ended in a way that Martin could easily continue the story, which I'm excited about! I'll always line up to read a Charles Martin book the second they come out!

This is my third Charles Martin book. I loved the first two but this one fell short for me. It took me a while to get into the story, and I was really confused for the first third of the book. Who is this guy and what is he doing? As the story progressed, there were a lot coincidences required to make the story fall into place. Unfortunately it reached a level of unbelievability to me. However, I really liked his first two books so I’ll keep reading his books.

I have read almost all of Charles Martin's books and enjoyed everyone of them. This one just fell a bit flat for me. There was a lot going on which made it hard to keep up with at times and to understand what was real vs. reality. There was a lot of action which was sometimes unrealistic. I personally didn't care for all of the sailing details. I appreciate the subject matter (human trafficking) that was brought to light, and I liked Summer and Murphy. Over all, it was just a bit too busy for me and not one of my favorite books by Charles Martin.

It's my first book from the established, best selling author.
Ignore my ignorance for that, but am glad I finally read his work.

A bit lengthy, yes but it's all worth it.
A perfect page turner!

A riveting new story of heroism, heartache, and the power of love to heal all wounds.

Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds of a church with no parishioners, and he’s dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril. But as he mourns the loss of his mentor and friend, Murph himself may be more lost than he realizes.

When he pulls a beautiful woman named Summer out of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, Murph’s mission to lay his mentor to rest at the end of the world takes a dangerous turn. Drawn to Summer, and desperate to find her missing daughter, Murph is pulled deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world of modern-day slavery.

With help from some unexpected new friends, including a faithful Labrador he plucks from the ocean and an ex-convict named Clay, Murph must race against the clock to locate the girl before he is consumed by the secrets of his past—and the ghosts who tried to bury them.

With Charles Martin’s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, THE WATER KEEPER is at once a tender love story and a heartrending search for freedom.

A beautiful beautiful read from Charles Martin.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank you to the Author, the Publisher and to Netgalley.. I have read 8 previous books by Charles Martin, and I gave most of those 4 stars. I would probably say that he is one of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, I did not like this book and only gave it 2 stars. After about the first 1/4 of the book, I was ready to put it down and not finish it, but pushed through because I had received a copy of the book from Netgalley. I found the book far fetched, and not believable. Way too many situations were "too good to be true". I found myself rolling my eyes and sighing through this book. Sorry, I personally wouldn't recommend it.

I just finished this book last night and wow...Charles Martin has left me with questions and thoughts that I'll continue pondering for a while. The Water Keeper is a complex and multi-layered story, combining action, danger, romance, love, and redemption. At its center is the parable of the lost sheep. "Tell me what you know about sheep..." is asked of the main character, Murphy Shepherd, more than once. "Sheep need a shepherd..." is his reply. "Murph"'s calling is to leave the 99 to search for the 1...the 1 lost sheep. It's not only his calling, but he is willing to lay down his life for the 1, often putting himself in danger to try to save men, women and children from the horrors of human trafficking while also battling his own personal devastating heartbreak. Spirituality is woven into every aspect of this novel, in an allegorical style. The novel is told from Murph's first person perspective, which adds to the complexity, yet I couldn't imagine it written any other way. Martin has a way of giving you just enough of the story to keep you fully engaged, yet there is a lot that lies below the surface that you either have to figure out for yourself, or accept that you may not completely know all of the answers. Beyond all of these aspects of the novel, I loved Murph's character. Strong, lethal, yet so vulnerable and longing to love and be loved. I also appreciated the variety of "sheep" that come into his care: an elderly ex-convict, a loyal pet, two young girls, and a woman who is in search of her daughter. I feel like I need to read this book again someday to fully digest it all. And there definitely needs to be a sequel!
One of my favorite podcasts, "That Sounds Fun" with Annie F. Downs, has two interviews with Charles Martin. I would highly recommend them. To hear the heart of this author, his love for God and writing, is really special.
**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to share my honest opinions, which I did.**

This book was very well written and had a depth that few do these days. I could feel the characters’ emotions, and the way that he described the area made me feel as if I could find my way through the local waterways despite how difficult that would actually be. This was not a light, fluffy read. This storyline was a tough one to read, actually. Human trafficking is not a light subject, yet Charles Martin approached it with respect, awareness, and something akin to personal knowledge. I’ll be honest, I almost didn’t want to finish it because it was so hard to read about that subject. The only reason I did was because it was so engaging. Filled with love, compassion, daring rescues, and healing, I give this one five stars.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The twists and turns kept me guessing, as did the main character. I would recommend this to any reader!

I confess that I really struggled with the beginning of Charles Martin's 'The Water Keeper'. This was my first experience with this author, and I love an action-packed novel. Martin did not disappoint on the pacing and energy of the story, which definitely stayed high. I struggle when a novel feels like it begins in the middle, which was the setup of this one. I completely understand an author wanting to grab the reader's attention from the get-go, but the start felt wobbly and I didn't connect as quickly as I might have with a different jumping point.
That having been said, Martin is a great storyteller, and I will definitely pick up more of his novels - it was a fun an fast read overall.

Another Charles Martin thriller! This is the story of a recluse, Murphy Shepherd, who attempts to find peace in his life by becoming the caretaker of an abandoned church on an island in southern Florida. As he travels down the intercoastal waterway to spread the ashes of his best friend, he comes upon a girl floating in the water. Now this becomes a thriller as he tries to help her find her daughter who has been kidnapped by leaders of the adult sex trade market.

A big thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Water Keeper by Charles Martin. Thanks to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson publishers
Let me start with WOW, I could not put this book down. It took me a few chapters to get into the book, but once I got into it, was just an amazing read.
this is the first book I've read by Charles Martin, hopefully not the last.
This was action packed, adventure, love story all in one. The author really knows how to describe the action scenes, very well described as if you were there watching the scene unfold in front of you. There were scenes that made me laugh, made me cry and had me on the edge of my seat. There is so much that happens within this story but it never feels like too much. The characters are well described, you can see them, the plot gets deeper and deeper, I didn't want the story to end. There is so much momentum in this story and thrill while reading. It sure got my adrenaline flowing.
This story takes place in Florida along the water ways and party zones where boats come and go and beach themselves at low tide, girls in bikinis, drinks, music, parties. Main character Murphy meets young girl Angel on the island that he lives on and acts as caretaker for a church. She is in party mode and has to get back to the boat that she has taken a quick leave from . As Murphy is later getting back into his boat that he has docked at a local marina, he witnesses a woman stealing a boat, crashing into other boats as she tries to navigate to open water. As the scene unfolds and Murphy follows her, she clearly does not know how to handle to open waters and the wakes of other boats, Murphy has to rescue her after she is launched from the boat she is driving. He then learns that she is searching for her daughter and decides to help her
This is a must read

What I Loved:
Charles Martin has this beautiful writing style that draws the reader in immediately. I enjoyed every word in this book because of his prose.

How I Felt:
Murph, the main character, was heartbreaking and raw with emotion, and yet he finds it in himself to overcome those feelings to help others every time he can. He comes across a multitude of characters on his journey and they are all wonderfully built and add so much to the story.

The plot was very fast-paced and filled with thriller elements that had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the redemption journey that Murph goes on during his journey as well. I thought the two were woven together beautifully to make an exciting and lovely story.

The Christian elements in this book fit perfectly without being overbearing for someone that is not religious. I enjoyed the references and discussion and felt they were well-placed in the story.

Overall, this a beautiful, emotional read with an exciting thriller plot. It is filled with elements of love, redemption, forgiveness, and dedication. I loved the story and can’t wait to pick up more of Charles Martin’s books!

Content Warnings:
Child trafficking, suicide, drug use.

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend The Water Keeper for readers that enjoy rescue mission stories (think James Bond) with beautiful writing and emotional plots.

Bonus: If you live in Florida or enjoy boating, you’ll like this!

I was provided an advanced reader's copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

A beautiful novel set along Florida's eastern coastline. Intense, intriguing, a real page-turner. Not only a story of human trafficking, but also of a love, loss, and overcoming. Here we have a good set of characters and even better twists and turns to keep you reading long into the night.

To be honest 3.5 to 4 stars. I am such a fan of Charles Martin and have always loved his books. This one however, though filled with heart pounding suspense, just had too much violence for my taste. And at times the story was hard to follow, things were just happening so fast like the pacing was rushed. Maybe it's just me and with the pandemic going on it just wasnt the right book for now. But it still had the ability to extract a few tears and tug on the heartstrings. Maybe I will read it again in the future and react differently.

The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the ninety-nine. Murphy Shepherd has dedicated his life to finding and rescuing those in danger (specifically human trafficking). I would describe the plot as like Taken - if it took place on the East Coast of Florida instead of Europe. The beginning was a bit slow for me as the characters were established, but once the search for Angel began it was a fast-paced action-packed storyline that I couldn’t put down. This wasn’t just about the action, though. The book was beautifully written and explored love, loss, grief, desperation, and leaving the past behind to focus on the future. I absolutely loved this book and its cast of characters.

Charles Martin is an amazing author, so when I saw The Water Keeper on Netgalley, I quickly requested it! And as with all of the Martin books that I have read, it did not disappoint! The Water Keeper is about Murphy Shepherd who lives alone on an island and is dealing with much heartbreak from his past. Murphy is involved in rescuing young women from modern day slavery, which has it's own heartbreak and danger. This is a story of love, friendship, loyalty, the unimaginable way that human beings can treat othe human beings and freedom. A beautiful story that definitely keeps you engaged and turning pages.

This would have been a five star read for me except for two things. First is how the author uses so much "boat talk", with intricate details about boats. For me, a non-boat person, I didn't follow (or care) about all of that. The second thing I disliked about the book, was the continual naming of every city, marina, island, etc that was passed while on the boat. It seemed too much like a geography lesson to me and detracted, rather than adding to the story. Maybe if you live in Florida (where the story takes place), you would find this interesting, but for me, I thought it was a little overkill. For these reasons, I rated the book 4 stars.

Despite those two aspects, I still loved the book and would definitely recommend it!

The Water Keeper is a compelling read with complex layers and interesting characters. I'd consider this to be Martin's most "thriller-like" novel to date. There are definitely some scenes that get the adrenaline flowing. Overall, this story illustrates a powerful message about love and the beauty of unconditional love. It's a picture of God's love for His children and his never-ending pursuit of the lost.
I'm glad the author tackled the human trafficking crisis. This is such an important topic and a travesty in our world that will never get enough coverage, in my opinion. While I acknowledge that this is obviously a work of fiction, I admire the author's ability to pull the reader into the dark underbelly of trafficking and expose the evil that's passing right under our noses every single day. The juxtaposition of the beautiful natural world and the criminals' egregious behavior was also well written.
There are some aspects of the plot that I found puzzling: the level of detail about the boat and specificity of geographic locations slowed the pace. Also, there are some significant plausibility issues with this novel, even more so than is typical for Martin. The hero's ability to survive anything, rescue anyone from any circumstance and still live to tell about it was a bit of a stretch. Life threatening injuries somehow magically healed. The dog swam for miles and miles. I was not comfortable with the implication that Summer read the hero's books as a way to detox from her addiction issues. Also, the subplot threads got a bit tangled. No spoilers here, but I just did not get the whole Marie aspect of this story.
I did receive an ARC from NetGalley. I also purchased the audio book and listened to this novel. The narration is quite good.

An incredible tale of an enigmatic man.
Murph is layered and full of surprises.
Charles Martin is a master at slowly revealing the story.
This story touches on many hard things, including sex trafficking and it’s terrors.
This book shows redemption and courage in the middle of some of the hardest things life has to offer.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255