Wow, just wow. I don't think I was mentally prepared for this as I just welcomed a baby in early April but I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what happened. Well done by the author.

Ok, not terrible in capacity but definitely not my favorite either.

I am typically a huge fan of suspense, a nice little couple mystery, and some suspect characters along the way. Unfortunately, I would not classify this as any of the above. There was little to no action until near the end which was a bit disappointing. The storyline was incredibly promising yet it never seemed to get itself of the ground.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Deep Water is Emma Bamford’s beach ready debut. Instead of the typical whodunnit this asks, “What happened?” This is one of those stories that takes its time. Things unravel slowly as each traveling couple learn that their escape
to paradise for will bring turmoil which cause their lives to fall apart.

Bamford uses her own personal knowledge from her years as a sailing journalist to create excitement on the boats and
a nail biting scuba dive gone wrong underwater. She creates a a beautiful paradise in the island of Amarante. I also enjoyed reading the history that Bamford created for this hidden island. She also avoided the temptation to create over the top scenarios such as deadly island creatures or a murdering hermit, but kept her focus on solid characterizations and steady plotting.

There is something that appeals to me about a vacation home aware story. It challenges the idea that we can escape our problems by heading off to another country, island, or state. “Deep Water” shows that we can find even more
problems in even the best of settings.

Wowza! This is a fabulous thriller in that you're always asking "what happened here?". While the beginning of this novel can feel can a bit confusing and then the plot goes through a bit of a lull period in the middle, it concluded very nicely at the end. The character development was part of the appeal for me, as you learn more about Jake and Virginie's relationship and see how that is put to the test. Well done!

Deep Water is perfect for fans of The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Virginie and Jake spend all their savings on a yacht and hear about a picture perfect, secluded beach in the middle of the Indian Ocean that takes days to reach and has zero civilization nearby. Sounds too good to be true, right? Virginie and Jake decide to go, only the beach isn't secluded when they get there. There are many other ex-pat sailors. It doesn't take long for their paradise to turn into a nightmare. Highly recommended!

The beginning was a great premise and then it slowed down and became a little bit of information overload. However, I found myself wanting to continue to find out more about certain characters. The ending was all right, but I felt that parts were rushed to complete the story. Overall it was a decent quick read.
I was sent a copy for review via NetGalley.

This story was really drawn out and didn’t seem to go anywhere. It was very slow moving. I kept hoping it would pick up or get interesting, but the characters were so flat and too much time was devoted to dialogue that was just filler and served no purpose. The ending was very anticlimatic

This seafaring thriller starts with a Malaysian naval patrol boat rescuing a young couple in a luxury catamaran in a remote part of the ocean. The husband is unconscious and in precarious health, and the captain interviews the wife, Virginie about what happened. She begins he story, and then most of the book describes the couple’s adventure on an extremely remote but idyllic island. The author does a great job in describing a diverse cast of characters and their motivations for the disastrous events which occur. Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. It’s a winner!

The premise of this novel is compelling: a rescued couple found at sea, a mysterious tale surrounding their circumstances, a remote island with victims claimed.
But the execution of the novel failed to deliver. The characters were not compelling and lacked depth. The bookends of the plot were the most compelling, but the ending fell flat. The mystery/history of the island could have yielded so much more, but was not given much space. The novel could have benefited from being promoted less as a remote island tale and more of an adventure novel/survival story.

I was so excited to read this! However, I ended up be so disappointed in it. Too many terms about boating, and at times, I just wanted to give up on even finishing it. The premise had me so intrigued, but I just felt like nothing ever really happened, nothing exciting anyway. I'm sorry to say this one just wasn't for me.

Deep Water is a book that definitely had an overriding sense of unease throughout. I confess I am not all that comfortable in the water so there may be personal bias here, but I thought the author did a really nice job of projecting an ominous tone to the story.

If you've read The Beach by Alex Garland, or seen the Leonardo DiCaprio movie of the same name, then you know the basic premise of this novel. Young couple, Jake and Virginie, decides to buy a sailboat and travel the world, abandoning a traditional path for young marrieds and seeking adventure. At their very first port where they pick up their new-to-them boat, they hear about a pristine, secluded, you've got to see it to believe it beach out in the middle of the Indian ocean. It will take days to reach and has zero civilization anywhere around it. They decide to go for it, but, of course, the island is not empty when they get there. They join other sailors in a strange community of sorts, and eventually all hell breaks loose, some of this is virtually identical to Garland's novel. As with The Beach, the appeal of this idyllic and hard to find island draws both those seeking solitude - and those with something to hide.

I liked the way this story is told by the naval captain who finds the young couple adrift on a yacht that she claims is not theirs. She pieces the story together for the captain. Virginie is not always a sympathetic character, but her flaws made the story interesting. There were a few character traits of hers and Jake's that did not ring true and made things a little unbelievable, but this did not detract from enjoyment of the story.

The author notes her interest in the Nicole Kidman movie Dead Calm as inspiration for this story. I can see this also, but to me, this is a retelling of The Beach with a married couple of sailors rather than a backpacking loner. It was good. I've just already read it.

Deep Water
By: Emma Bamford

This one is the definition of a slow burn. It caught my eye because I love nothing more than a "vacation gone wrong" -- am i right?! The beginning catches your attention when a Navy vessel receives an SOS signal, where they find a woman, Virginie, so out of it and traumatized, and also a man, Jake, who is bloody and unconscious. All Virginie can tell the captain is "It's all my fault. I killed them." OK SOLD!!

Well then we flash back to the events that led them here, where Jake and Virginie have set off to find a remote island, Amarante, but when they get there they discover they are not alone.

I can't stress enough that this one is slow. There's a lot of detail in Bamford's writing so you really feel like you are right there on the island with them. The downside is I found myself getting really bored with it and reaching for something else every time I sat down. There was also a lot of sailing jargon -- you could tell the author was experienced in that, so if you are also interested in sailing, you would love it! There wasn't much action until almost the end and the pacing was just too slow for me to grab onto anything.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, twisty thriller, this isn't it. But, if you're looking for an incredibly slow-burn, with beautiful scenery and an adventure on an island, pick this one up!

3 stars!

The setting is atmospheric, you can feel the hot sun or the cool water on your skin and smell the tropical undergrowth while walking around the island.
Amarante, the deserted island, is beautiful, but harsh, if you can't catch any fish or run out of fresh water and quite deadly, if you eat the wrong thing or run out of fuel for your boat.
Jake and Virginie have to depend upon strangers who may or may not have their best interests in mind.
The story begins at the end, then goes back to the beginning to fill the reader in on details, which I found interesting. The narrative is full of boat and sailing terms, which went over my head, but made it more realistic.
Virginie is the protagonist for most of the book, so we can understand her point of view, but I would have liked a chapter or two from Jake's perspective - he changes once he gets on the island, and not in a good way.
I also would have liked to learn more about the enigmatic couple, Vitor and Teresa. The reader never knows exactly what Vitor's business is and Teresa rarely says anything at all.
Overall, a good suspense novel without clichéd characters doing unbelievable things.

I was very excited about this book because of the premise. Unfortunately, the writing style wasn't for me. I found it not only confusing, but difficult to understand as a non boat person. The vocabulary was very specific to the boating world. I also didn't really enjoy the format and pace of the book. I think this is a great book for readers that are familiar with boating and love a mystery! I love the cover, though!

I received a digital advance copy of Deep Water by Emma Bamford via NetGalley. Deep Water was released on May 31, 2022.

Deep Water begins with a naval vessel finding finding a yacht in distress. On board are two people: Virginie and Jake. Months ago, they had cashed in their lives to buy a boat and explore the world. Their adventures in paradise did not end well. Jake is unconscious and barely alive. Virginie is in emotional distress, confessing that it was her fault. She killed them.

The novel then jumps back in time, following Virginie and Jake as they purchase a boat and get ready for their adventure. As they prepare, they hear of a remote, idyllic island and met an intriguing couple. Eventually, they decide to head for the island, where they find a small group of people already anchored. The bulk of the novel tells the story of their time on the island, leading us back to the moment they are found adrift by the naval vessel.

This part of the novel (the first 80% or so) worked very well for me. I was very invested in discovering what went wrong in paradise. Bamford inserts many moments where things are ever so slightly off kilter. While the characters do not always appreciate these moments, as a reader it gave a layer of creepy over the sunshine and sand.

The framing of the story did not work as well for me. The start of the frame (the naval vessel finding Virginie and Jake) was okay as an introduction. The end of the frame (after they are recovered), however, was not as successful. Compared to the immersion I felt on the island, the events in the port felt like an unnecessary addition. This portion of the story focused more on the naval officer involved than in Virginie and Jake. As a reader, I was invested in Virginie’s story, but had no attachment to the naval officer. For me, the ending would have been stronger without this second ending.

Overall, Deep Water was a suspenseful tale of an adventure gone wrong. While it may have had one layer too many in the final pages, I enjoyed my journey to that far away island.

Don't start this book unless you have plenty of time! You won't want to put it down. Deep Water by Emma Bamford is a fast-paced thriller. The story was engaging and kept me turning pages right through to the end. The beautiful tropical island setting is in stark contrast with the corruption of humanity. Clever and well-placed twists and turns abound. Five stars for this brilliant book!

The premise of this book sounded like a dream most young people have. Who doesn't ponder selling everything and traveling the world at least once in their life? Maybe not on a boat, but that's a personal preference. I was excited to read this story and very "on the hook" (had to do a water pun) with the dark premise surrounding their trip to paradise.

I couldn't quite connect with Virginie's character who by all accounts seem to be a smart woman who lacks common sense. That does seem to characterize a large amount of the population though. She is married to Jake who is an affable blue collar sort of fellow. We learn that she was in a bad marriage prior and it seemed to try to tie the current situation in with her predisposition to "giving shitty people the benefit of the doubt."

Long story short, they are on Amarante an idyllic island with a dark history. There they meet other people who will ultimately lead to their demise per the synopsis. I liked parts of the story, but got in "deep water" trying to understand all the boat jargon. The story is mischaracterized as nature being the dark force, but I think as in life it's people who bring about destruction and evil. Sometimes it's purposeful and sometimes we cause it with our stubborn blindness in relationships.

I did appreciate the loose ends being tied up by the end but I also felt that it meandered a bit at times and jumped characters a bit. I'd still be interested in reading another book by Emma Bamford in the future!

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Deep Water was one of my most anticipated reads this year. Sadly, it didn’t leave me as excited as I thought I was going to be. It was almost a DNF for me, but I don’t like leaving books unfinished so I cruised through it to see how it would end. Sadly, it didn’t deliver.

I was captured by the title, cover, and storyline. I love watching shows on YouTube where couples sail the world and visit exotic islands 🏝 I was excited for this one! After all… finding a yacht in the middle of the ocean with a woman holding her husband who is unconscious and bleeding from his head and sharing that it’s all her fault, that she killed them all… I mean, that is definitely a plot to follow!

Virginie and Jake are on the adventure of their life. They sell their belongings and purchase a sailing boat as they set for new horizons l to explore the world. Through conversations with a fellow sailor, they hear of a paradisiac island named Amarante. So they set new coordinates to this remote island where they would be disconnected completely from the outside world. Upon arriving at this island, they are not alone. Soon, things that began peacefully, turned into chaos as events start unfolding.

In the end, there was really no twist and nothing really big happened. I felt certain parts were rushed and not much importance was given when it should have been discussed more. Overall, a slow read with an okay plot and an okay ending.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Deep Water starts off when a navy vessel comes across a ship in distress. Onboard they find a Virginie and her husband Jake who is badly injured. Once, onboard the navy vessel Virginie recounts what happened to them and now they ended up in their current situation. Flashback to months earlier Virginie and Jake just bought a yacht and are ready for an adventure. They heard about this remote beautiful island and they decided to go. When they arrive on the island they find out they are not the only one's on the island. They find other travelers who have heard of the island and soon a community is formed. But when supplies start to run low tensions get high. And soon paradise is not everything that it is cracked up to be.

I think this is a really good summer thriller to read. It kind of reminded me of Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins. I love the way this book started off with a life or death situation and we are dying to know what happened. I will say to me the ened felt a little rushed and a little confusing to me. I guess I just wanted the ending to be a little different. But that is just me being picky. I really liked the setting of this book and how you didn't know which characters you could trust. Overall I really enjoyed this one and I would highly suggest this one. I also think this would be a good thriller to read on the beach. Thank you so much Netgalley, Gallery Books, and Emma Bamford for a copy of this book.

This felt more like a slow-burn mystery than a thriller. I really struggled to stay invested in the story at times. The beginning was really interesting, and I did want to know what had happened.