Deep Water has a compelling plot -- young couple (Virginie and Jake) sell their belongings to purchase a yacht, which they rehab, and plan to sail around the Pacific exploring exotic lands. They learn about a remote island that is supposed to be a paradise (Amarante) and decide to visit. When they arrive, they find another couple (Pete and Stella) and a man and his dog (Roly and Gus) on the island, and discover they are regular visitors to the island. At first Amarante seems like the promised paradise, but exploring the island, Virginie comes across ruins, and soon learns about the island's dark past. In addition, there are soon two more visitors to the island -- Vitor and Teresa, whom Jake and Virginie had met in Port Brown, Malaysia, and whom they had told about their plan to visit Amarante. Something seems a bit off about Teresa and her relationship with Vitor. Also, Jake does not particularly like or trust Vitor, which Virginie assumes is based on jealousy at Vitor's wealth and how he flaunts his wealth. However, what starts out as a seeming paradise will turn into a nightmare for everyone, as bad luck, stubbornness, mishaps, and misunderstandings will ultimately prove deadly.

Yet, what could be a very good story is diminished, at least for me, by the irritating behavior of some of the characters, especially Jake and his insecurities, and some of the plot choices.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Deep Water
by Emma Bamford
Pub Date: May 31, 2022
Gallery
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. The dark side of paradise is exposed when a terrified couple reveals their daunting experience on a remote island to their rescuers—only to realize they’re still in the grips of the island’s secrets—in this intense and startling debut in the tradition of Into the Jungle and The Ruins.
This was one of the more anticipated books of 2022. Boy was I wrong! The survival and the thrilling story I expected turned out to be a disappointment to me. A good portion of the book is sailing talk, and that did not excite me.
So, unfortunately, I will not be recommending this book.
3 stars

I was so excited to read this because April has a theme for me. Water and water related stories. And this came in glutch. I give this a 4/5. The writing style isn't my favorite but the roller coaster this took me on was awesome.

Well a good enough book for someone who has read every possible thriller there is out there. But I haven't run out of thriller-type or mystery/crime books yet.

Was very disappointed. Characters are rather flat. Scenario been done dozens of times before. Maybe I've just read too many book as I AM getting 'up there.' I kept waiting for something - a little something, a big something, an anything something, but alas, never happened.

But for those who enjoyed the book, wonderful. I am always supportive of other people's happiness. Still, for me, a major let down.

People on an island, check. Normal ppl meet sort of odd ppl, check. Part of the island is creepy and strange, getting better! Don't fish OVER THERE. I got it. (At this point IRL I'd be heading to Fiji or Tahiti and do not tell me they don't have a dozen or hundred islands between them that are pristine and lightly - or not at all inhabited. But the book is not about me.)

The tension, what there is of it, is a slow build. Too slow, even for a book of medium-length. I didn't like Virginie, one of the leads, or her 'can't swim' yet I'm a sailor husband. (In fact, he's actually afraid of water. Okay, these ppl do exist. I think.) So the entire set-up rang false for me, and I do read fantasy and horror, too, so I can think outside the 'is-this-really-real?' or not box.

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of Deep Water by Emma Bamford from NetGalley, Gallery/Scout Press, and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Virginie and Jake decide to buy a sailboat and travel the world. The two begin in Malaysia where they meet an experienced sailor who encourages them to visit the most gorgeous island in the world--Amarante. The sailor tells them it is a deserted island and only few visit every season. Virginie and Jake set sail for this amazing island and there, enjoy its beauty and all it has to offer with five others they meet there. After a few weeks, a devastating loss will come between everyone and their paradise will become a nightmare.

I was extremely excited to read Deep Water--adventure and a sci-fi element--sounds good! However, what is presented in the synopsis is not what you actually read. "But when his [Danial] crew make a shocking discovery, he realizes that if he doesn’t act soon, they could all fall under the dark spell of the island." One would interpret that 1--Danial is a large part of this book and 2--there is some type of evil or darkness on the island. Untrue. Most of the book is about Virginie and Jake's daily life on the island and it is mostly positive. I was waiting for these big moments and thrilling elements and it just was not there.

I found this to be an enjoyable read, but not at all what I was expecting. If you are going into this thinking it will be like The Ruins (as described in the summary) you may be disappointed. It’s about newlyweds Virginie and Jake who decide to give up the city life, buy a boat and sail to a remote island called Amarante to start their new life together. They meet fellow travelers and experience the adventure of living on a boat on a remote island. What could go wrong? The book pulls you in pretty quickly at first, but then becomes a slow build thriller that is at times too slow. I was bracing myself for a little more excitement based on the description, but overall it was a fun storyline with a few twists. The island setting and descriptions were so vivid that you could almost feel the ocean spray on your face. Everything came together at the end which I liked. A solid 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book!

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! The story is filled with twists and turns and is extremely atmospheric. I could almost smell the sea and feel the wind and the spray of water. The characters are flawed and most are creepy. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy a psychological thriller with drama that builds and grabs hold and moves through to the ending.

Evil is everything, even on a deserted island in paradise. A can’t put down until the end thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and Galley/Scout Press. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this book. It centers on newlyweds Jake and Virginie who sell their belongings to buy a boat and embark on a dream trip to a secluded island. There are already others there, though, and not everyone is who they seem.

The book is so detailed and atmospheric that I felt like I was right there with them. There was a innate creepiness to the deserted island that I felt even when nothing creepy was actually happening. The book is a bit of a slow burn but the writing is so good that it seemed like I was on the precipice of something big happening even when nothing did. The way that the story is told, first from the rescuer’s POV, then from Virginia’s, and then back to the rescuer, worked for me.

I liked the ending and felt that it tied things up well and gave me a glimpse into what was to come in the lives of these characters.

All in all, a really enjoyable book even though it wasn’t quite as fast paced as I expected. Despite the large volume of details, I was never bored and felt fully immersed in the world that the author created. I’d recommend this one to those who like creepy deserted island stories. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Deep Water (Emma Bamford) Is the story of a newly married couple who love boats and sailing so much that they decide to live a carefree life sailing from port to port. On their first adventure they hear about a deserted island that seldom has visitors and is supposed to be a paradise. Turns out there are two other boats there and a fourth shortly arrives. Everything is going great....until it isn't. Ms Bumford does a remarkable job of making the reader feel they are experiencing the island themselves. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an early copy to review.

Deep Water has the unfortunate likeness of sharing a title with a Patricia Highsmith novel, so I think that will confuse people, but it's a bit similar in that it's an excellent suspense novel!

I've never been sailing, but after reading this book I think I could probably sail a ship if I had too because it was so through and well-written in the descriptions of nautical stuff.

If you've ever wanted to sell your belongings and just set sail for a life at sea Deep Water might make you change your mind...but first it will completely enrapture you with the story of spending time on a deserted island. I could almost imagine I was there even though I read this in the dead of winter!

You want to go in mostly blind for this book, but just know it's got trouble in paradise, a pirate-like mix of expat sailors, a strong as heck female protagonist, some multiple points of view and a satisfying ending to wrap up this unsettling mystery!

Deep Water was everything I wanted Reckless Girls to be, but much much better!

Wow, what an amazingly well written book! It was written in a way that really attached me to the characters, had me glued to the pages, was fast paced, original, and fun! Lots of great twisty turns, chills, thrills, and gasp worthy shocks! Would definitely read more by this author and hope I don’t have to wait long, as she really knows how to write. Highly, highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

When Virginie and Jake learn about an uninhabited island in the middle of the Indian Ocean while at port in Malaysia, they change their plans and decide to visit there. Cut off from the world, it will be the perfect place for their adventurous life together to begin. They are expecting unspoiled beaches and unparalleled beauty. and friendship with the other devotees that visit the island each year. How could things go so horribly wrong?

I liked this book. I think at times it was a little slow and plodding. It also reminded me a lot of "Reckless Girls" by Rachel Hawkins, but not as engaging or electric. A lot of the same themes were included and used, but this book didn't feel as fresh. I don't think this is a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, but I do feel that it's not as vibrant and exciting as other books I've read recently.

Newlyweds decide to explore the world by boat. All their savings are put into a used yacht and Virginia gets her heart set on a deserted island that is rumored to be fabulous. After getting to the beautiful island they meet a few others that have come here and learn island rules and superstitions. A retelling of their murderous time on the island and how everything can go wrong.. Virginia confesses “It’s all my fault. I killed them”

First things first, this book is extremely well written. The prose is rich and intelligent. Even though I know nothing about sailing, I never felt talked down to nor that things were being overly explained.
The setting is explained in incredible detail and I really feel like I was there on this exotic island with the characters.
My issue with this book is that the tension never ratcheted up to the level that I expected. The tone was pretty even throughout. And while there were moments of distress and suspense they never paid off in a big enough way.
I was fine with the slower pace and that it took a quarter of the book to get to the island, but I struggled when the real meat of the plot was held back for 75% of the book. To be clear, I enjoyed this book and would read her next one in a heartbeat, but there was just enough punch missing to keep me from giving this one a higher score.

I really enjoyed this thrilling story! The first chapter in this book hooks you from the very beginning. I enjoyed the mystery and couldn't wait to see exactly what happened on the island. I would love to see this story created into a movie. Loved it! I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

WOW! I learned about boats and boating from this book! I was RIVETED with the storyline and the characters! The cast was multicultural, multilingual, and written very realistically. An incredible story of "paradise-gone-wrong." Gripping, thrilling, and frightening! I'd be afraid to go in the water, and there wasn't even a cheesy shark-attack scene!

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, an honest review is what I have to give. I didn't care for this one. It opened with a fantastic hook, but quickly jumped back in time and then spent countless pages on mundane details like fixing up the boat, sailing, spending time on the water, etc before any of the meat of the story happened.

I feel like this would have been a better hour and a half movie, rather than a book that took more hours than that to read. I also feel like I've seen this movie and read this story before, but executed better.

The only character I found really likeable was Gus, the dog. The rest were either unlikeable or not fleshed out enough to cause me to invest. The setting was good, but was definitely underused, and the details of the history of the island were a huge waste of words. The specific plot "twists" were all predictable.

I did like the "much later" epilogue that closed out the story decently.

Overall, it was a bore with a few random redeeming qualities, such as the setting and the hook. So, two and a half stars rounded down.

Deep Water starts off with lots of atmosphere and intrigue but overall I felt was very slow. It is marketed as a mystery/thrilled but I felt this way misleading. I wanted to love it but it fell short to me.

Excellent writing and characterization. The author kept me in suspense and diligently reading. Unfortunately, the book faltered at the end and didn’t quite deliver. A great mystery/suspense book that was almost exceptional.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59345251