Wow. Charles Martin is one of those authors who've been on my radar for quite a while - I have several of his books wishlisted based on good word of mouth. But somehow something always moves ahead of his books on my TBR list. That ends now - with this book, his books have jumped way up on that ridiculously long TBR.
First, just to get it out of the way, I know lots of readers immediately write off any book that's classified as "religious" or "inspirational" or "Christian". And clearly this is one of those books - it's right there in the publisher's name.
But don't avoid this one thinking this is an in-your-face Christian fiction book. The themes are clearly here and will, indeed, be inspirational for Christian readers. But they're embedded in the story, rather than being blatantly spelled out so that no one misses the connections. Anyone can read and enjoy this story for what it is on the surface, a a story about a man and a woman who come from very different pasts, living very different lives in the present, who are brought together and forge a friendship despite those differences. It's about the lengths that unconditional love will go to to help and protect the loved one, and sacrificial love that's willing to put the loved one's needs ahead of your own. It's also a mystery/crime novel that unwinds as the book moves along; we know there's been a kidnapping/hostage situation from the beginning, but the exact nature of the crime and the efforts to resolve it add another element to the story.
Pockets and Joe, the main characters, are almost larger than life. Yet they feel very real and I became invested in their stories, and their story. Martin has an accessible yet lovely way with words. The narrators of this audio version did a wonderful job of delivering those words. I'll definitely be back for more of Charles Martin.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

The Last Exchange by Charles Martin, Pub Date 10/3/23

I will be the first to admit, I had prematurely thought this was going to be a rip-off of the movie, The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Boy, was I wrong. Scottish MacThomas Pockets — a man who knows his job and takes it very seriously, will win many hearts. And it’s probably a good thing as I suspect this will be a series.

I have read a few from this author and have had mixed results with my reviews. I loved the original premise of this one and could see it as a movie (although mostly based on its “Hollywood-ized” ending in the novel. Joe Sue is the Hollywood Scarlett that he’s been charged to watch over. She has 2 personas. — one behind the camera and Instagram and one that’s of a traumatized, pill-popping addict trying to hide her pain. Motherhood is at the heart of this book which is what hooked me to the story. It felt like a mix of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and The Friendship Zone. So much heart - but also a fun chase and outcome that I did not expect in this tale. She made him promise something to her - and he stuck to that promise no matter how sticky things got. He was dedicated to her until the end. I really fell in love with this one!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is a beautiful story about a delicate topic in a cruel world. Although the female main character is a celebrity with an addiction problem, we learn how that came to be and what a sympathetic character she is. The man she hires as her bodyguard quickly becomes her confidante as well as her protector since he is privy to all the goings-on in her life. His backstory is endearing, not that he needed anything else to win us over! As she struggles with infertility in the public eye, she is also dealing with a self-centered husband. Still, there are light-hearted moments, a little mystery, a little romance, and the ending is heartwarming. The narrators did a wonderful job and I appreciated the Scottish accent. Great interview with the author at the end.

This is a voluntary review for a complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

The Last Exchange is about how far one will go for love, how love is defined, and how much one will sacrifice for love. Charles Martin's books always manage to pull me into a world that's sad to leave after the final line. The storyline and writing are great so I looked forward to getting back to it at every opportunity, and the narrator is well-suited for the characters. This one easily makes it onto my 2023 Favorites list.

Lots of action in this newest Charles Martin novel. The story centers around the bond between a young actress named Maybe Joe Sue and her Scottish bodyguard, Pockets. Charles Martin how DO you come up with these cool names?
Joe experienced early fame after being discovered while serving as a waitress. She quickly amassed awards, millions of dollars, and plenty of unwanted attention. Like many others Joe endured a troubled childhood that left her with an emptiness that she tries to relieve with pills and bad relationships.

Kelly MacThomas Pockets, an experienced military man, has now been hired as Joe’s bodyguard while her husband films on location. Her husband unfortunately is a philanderer with other women.

Pockets on the other hand is a firm believer that the boundary of emotion and physicality never cross with an employer, especially one that is married.
Still there is fierce devotion, among this platonic team.

Once again, Martin has gifted readers with a novel full of suspense, action, and a plot that grabs hold of you until the very end. Lots of surprises in this one.

If you get the audio, Charles Martin is interviewed at the end and it’s great!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this Audio Arc from one of my absolute favorite authors! Charles Martin never lets me down. He is a master storyteller and weaves so much into his characters and plot lines! I adore getting lost in the worlds he weaves, and the underlying lessons the reader is left with...

SMITTEN!! GoodReads classifies a 5-start as "It was amazing!" and that isn't often how I feel about books I've read ... HOWEVER Charles Martin's books never let me down. I've been reading his books for about a decade, and THIS is why--his heroes are next-level awesome. THE LAST EXCHANGE is a powerful combination of raw, real, and awesome. Where few authors tend to delve these days, he portrays messy lives in respectful ways and draws a map for healing and redemption that leaves me breathless. Pockets is the best of Martin's heroes, and my only regret is having finished this, I'm not forced to way umpteen years (okay, not really, but it feels that way) for Martin's next book.

I was actually enjoying this throughout most of the story, which is why it was so disappointing when the last act became completely absurd.
Not to ruin anything, but no courtroom would EVER run that way. How many people proofread a book before publication, and nobody else thought it was too ridiculous?
Thanks to #netgalley and #thomasnelsonpublishing for this #arc of #thelastexchange in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Charles Martin book and it definitely will not be my last. This was a captivating story of love and sacrifice♡ The storyline and characters in this book were so well developed. I was on edge with each new unfolding of events. This book is a true example of the lengths one will go to in order to keep a promise. I hope to say one day this Joe had a pockets in my corner! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to netgalley, the author and publishers for a digital ARC of this book. The above review was in no way affected by receiving a choir and is a true and honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced digital copy of the audiobook for my honest review.

I have always enjoyed Charles Martin books, but this one was not a favorite. The audiobook was hard to follow with "before" and "after" sections. It took me about half of the book to figure out what was going on. The narration was partly done by a voice that was supposed to be distorted so it wouldn't be recognized. The book would probably be better in written form in my opinion.

The Last Exchange is my favorite Charles Martin novel yet! It begins as a slow burn, but stick with it. It ends up being an incredible novel through excellent character development, hints, and unexpected twists. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher.
This audio version was easy to listen to and moved at a good pace. I did find it difficult to catch differences in the narrator's voice when he changed characters, but grew accustomed to the subtle change after a while. I read the actual text as well and the audio and found it to be a great addition to my reading experience.

The Last Exchange
Charles Martin
Maybe Joe Sue is a star. Her fans only see the Maybe Joe Sue she allows them to see, the woman with it all, a handsome actor husband and the perfect life. Only one person knows the real Maybe Joe Sue, MacThomas Pockets. He first met her on the movie set where he was acting as a consultant on some scenes that needed tweaking. He was a former Special Forces for Scotland. Maybe Joe Sue hired MacThomas as her bodyguard. Maybe Joe Sue led a tragic life; her youth was painful. Maybe Joe Sue turned to pills to solve her problems. She has been in and out of rehab. There weren’t enough pills in the world to stop her pain. Even after he left her employ, he continued to keep up with Maybe Joe Sue’s life. He saw what she kept hidden; he saw her world collapse. He knew it was time to rescue her even if it meant rescuing her from herself.
There was one thing Maybe Joe Sue desired, a baby. A surrogate agreed to carry her baby. But the surrogate is missing.
The Characters: How could anyone not love Maybe Joe Sue; she gave and gave of herself. She wanted to be a mother, to hold her child in her arms. MacThomas was an incredible character. He was in love with Maybe Joe Sue. He loved her so much he was willing to make sacrifices for her. “It’s when you cross paths with someone who’s broke, just a mess of pieces, unable to fix anything about anything, and yet for some inexplicable reason, you stoop down, reach out and say, Me for you.”
I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Exchange. This book depicts true love. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13.” This book brought tears, it brought smiles and it brought great emotion.
Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy of The Last Exchange. My review is my personal opinion.

The Last Exchange is well written and full of action and mystery. We get to see Jo’s raw emotions in every chapter. Aside from the overall theme of the book, I don’t see how this is classified as a Christian fiction book beyond the author and publisher. It is a clean mystery, and I appreciated that there were no actual swear words. Charles does a great job of communicating what would’ve been a swear word without having swearing on the page. The Last Exchange is written how I wish all mystery and action books were written.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions in this review are my own.

This book absolutely stole my heart! I adored it. It's not necessarily an easy read. There is nothing warm and fuzzy about it. But the love story that unfolds is simply amazing and truly selfless. I'm also a complete sucker for a bodyguard story and this one has such a unique twist - - and I loved it!

Maybe Joe Sue is an actress that came from nothing. She was in the foster system and had no money but was discovered one day and people loved her even more because she was so down to earth. But she's always looking to feel like she belongs. Also, along the way, she discovers that money and fame don't always bring happiness. As a matter of fact, sometimes they are their own kind of prison.

Maybe Joe Sue has a husband that can't be there the way she needs to make her feel safe since he's an actor traveling a lot himself for work, so they decide she needs a bodyguard. This is when MacThomas Pockets is brought into her life. He will remain her faithful guardian who will protect her from everyone - - including herself if needed. As a previous military man, he takes his responsibilities seriously and is committed to this job and his boss, Maybe Joe Sue's safety.

There's so much to this book and Charles Martin weaves this story in a beautiful and flawless way. I've been reading a great deal lately and this book still stood out to me - - even with all the others I've been reading as well. It was just that beautifully written. This very well may be one of my favorite books this year so far - - and that's saying a lot.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The audiobook narration was absolute perfection. It felt as if the story was written to be read that way. It was just an effortless performance of the book and I loved it. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for copies of both the ebook and the audiobook. I voluntarily chose to read/listen to and review this book and the opinions contained within are my own.

I don’t read a lot of books that would be labeled “Christian fiction”, but I do like Charles Martin’s books as they fall slightly outside the realm of normal Christian fiction. this one in particular focuses more on the theme of redemption, rather than overtly centered on God himself.

This book is a rather outlandish story, but it held my attention and was an easy audiobook to have in my ears over a lazy weekend.

My thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Last Exchange.

𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦!

I have no idea why I was expecting a love story, and yes, there is a love story, but it was an intense and wild ride that kept me at the edge of my seat. My first book from this author and it won’t be my last.

Thank you TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Fiction for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 by Charles Martin released October 3, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

I read this book and loved it. I have now listened, and loved it. In fact, I think I enjoyed it even more listening to the story. The narration is fantastic, and spot on. Just like I had pictured in my head. Great job to the narrators, and to the powers that be who selected them.

Now the story review...
WOW!! This was another "WOW" book from Charles Martin. It's one of those books that I was completely obsessed with, and when I had to put it down, I couldn't help but think about the main characters. The hero, Pockets, was absolutely the best protector and loyal to his core. The heroine, Maybe Joe Sue, was giving and down to earth even with her addictions. The plot, mystery, suspense, and love were a masterpiece to me. I tend to scratch my head at all of Mr. Martin's endings because they are mind-blowing! This book was no exception. *I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.

Maybe Joe Sue was a waitress who grew up in foster care. One day a produce comes into the diner where she works and offers her a minor part. This leads to her getting a major part. Joe Sue becomes an award winning actress. She marries actor Sid and when he is around Joe Sue is protected. When he is gone, she ends up attacked by fans. She decides to hire MacThomas Pockets who just finished his last tour as part of the Scottish Special Forces. They met when he did some stunts on Sid's film.

Pockets is able to protect Maybe Joe Sue from fans. They begin to spend a lot of time together and when Sid and Joe Sue begin to start trying to have a child Pockets watches the toll it takes on Joe Sue. She miscarries every attempt. There is one egg left and a surrogate is used. At the time of the fertilization and implantation, Pockets beats Sid and ends up arrested. He is sentenced to jail time. Sid and Maybe Joe Sue end up divorcing.

He escapes right before he is set to be release and kidnapped Maybe Joe Sue and in the end the surrogate as well. The surrogate was using Maybe Joe Sue and extorting money from her. He kidnapped Maybe Joe Sue to force her to detox because the baby is coming any week now and seven stint in rehab did not kick the drug/pill habit. Pockets wanted their child (he fertilizing the egg not Sid) to have a clean, present mother. He ends up getting rearrested and some hidden truths he knew about Sid come out but he gets his wish and Maybe Sue Joe get clean for their son and waits from him to get released.

This was my first Charles Martin books but won't be my last. I received a copy of the audiobook of The Last Exchange on NetGalley.

WOW!!! Wow, wow, wow! I literally loved everything about this story - everything! I never thought Charles Martin could outdo the Murphy Shepherd series, ever, but that was before I met MacThomas Pockets and Maybe Joe Sue- yes, I typed that correctly.

I really don’t want to give away any spoilers, even a hint of one, so I’ll just say this- I LOVED Pockets. I loved Joe Sue and I loved their story! Pockets is definitely on my list of all time favorite male characters. He’s beyond loyal and will do what needs to be done. Joe Sue is down to earth and so likable even with all of her struggles. When these two were on the page together, I could’ve kept reading forever. These characters and their story will stay with me for a long, long time and I will recommend it to everyone!

At the end of the story blurb, there’s this question - How far would you go - really - to save someone you love? This story gives a very thought provoking, deep, multi layered answer.

I both read and listened to this story. Once I started the audio, I could not stop listening! When I wasn’t reading or listening, that’s what I was thinking about. That Scottish accent was everything! Charles Martin is an incredible storyteller! He’s definitely one of my very few auto buy authors. The Last Exchange will surely be a top read of 2023- if not the top read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and audiobook. I also purchased a copy. All. The. Stars.

Let me start by saying that I love Charles Martin’s books! That being said, thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HarperCollinsChristianPublishing and #ThomasNelsonFiction for the opportunity to review an ARC of this audiobook which releases tomorrow, October 3rd!

We start with the sad story of Maybe Joe Sue who had a rough time growing up in multiple foster homes…BUT…seems to be making a name for herself now. We watch as she grows in notoriety…and then as the threads begin to unravel.

Next up we have “Pockets” who comes on as a consultant/script reviewer…and then grows into something altogether different.

As the two grow, something magical is happening in the background…and that is the whole nucleus of the story.

Beautifully written! Beautiful character growth! Gripping scenes of marital problems as well as drug abuse and rehab…

And so many touching, beautiful scenes and moments…too many to name.
I will tell you, do NOT do as I did and read the last few chapters ALONE…so that you too will not be a sniveling mess…and then have to face other people.

Loved this story. Hoping the characters will return in another edition too!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Oh, and I have to say…this was a bit different from some others I’ve read from him. And during the epilogue, the author speaks and says he’s doing things a little different now…. So there’s that.

#TheLastExchange by #CharlesMartin

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