Thanks to Macmillan audio for gifted access via NetGalley. All opinions below are my own.

This book was just not for me. I was hoping for some point break vibes. But instead, it vacillated between an intense dive into culture and all the illegal activities that take place. There were drugs, there was a legal fishing… It was all really muddled and strange for me. I think someone looking to recapture the nostalgia of surf culture might like this one, but I don’t think it’s for the average reader.

Also, I felt the portrayal of the Asian characters bordered a bit on racist both the words on the page and how the accents were portrayed in the audiobook. That made me quite uncomfortable.

This is my first book by this author. I alternated between the ebook and the audiobook. The audio was narrated by Major Curda and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. They both did a fantastic job with the characters and story. Unfortunately, it was not for me. The story was told in third person and follows a family of surfers in Southern California. The narrative is interspersed with an article written by Jen Stonebreaker about her history with surfing and what happened to her late husband. She raised two sons, Casey and Brock.

Casey works in the family restaurant and fishes for the catch of the day. While I wanted to root for Casey with his good heart and optimism, it later becomes impossible due to his romantic entanglement with a character I just couldn’t support. Brock is an activist and runs a kind of rescue mission described using words that I found to be misappropriated, but I’m don’t want to spend any more time thinking about the etymology around that situation. Brock was angry at the world, disrespectful to his family and spent as much time in confrontations with trolls and petty criminals as he did helping people.

I was interested in the surfing aspects of the novel and the family’s history with it. However, I found the issues surrounding both sons and another storyline with a bunch of not so bright criminals trying to take over the family restaurant to be a disappointing distraction. Maybe if the book had focused more on Jen and her struggles with raising two boys amidst a complicated relationship with surfing and loss, I might have enjoyed it more.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Forge Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

A surfer story that will really be enjoyed by those in the surfing world. Parker always tells a good story. Reliable author.

This was my first book by T Jefferson Parker and I enjoyed it so much! I love a good natural disaster/storm thriller, add in the surfing element and the family drama, multiple POV narrative and I was sold from the start. This was perfect for fans of books like Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid or California Golden by Melanie Benjamin. Suspenseful and great on audio too. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Stonebreaker family were legends in the world of surfing. John Stonebreaker was well on his way to becoming the greatest surfer of all time when he was killed at the Monsters at Mavericks tournament. Now his widow and two sons are training to beat Mavericks and silence fears and doubts for good. Casey Stonebreaker, one of John's twin sons, is a idealist who believes their is goodness in all people. When he comes upon an illegal sharkfinning operation he films it and posts it to all his social media accounts starting a chain reaction of violence for him and his family. His twin brother Brock is the exact opposite of Casey. Knowing their is inherent evil in the world, he and his wife Mahina run the Breath of Life Rescue where they help those who can not help themselves. Violence is no stranger to Brock and he meets the challenge head on with whatever is required to fight the enemy whether it is a natural disaster or a group of right wing fanatics.

"Desperation Reef" by T. Jefferson Parker is a gripping thriller that plunges readers into the high-stakes world of big-wave surfing and crime.

The story centers on Jen Stonebreaker, a seasoned surfer who hasn’t competed since her husband’s tragic death during a competition 25 years ago. Now, she faces her fears as she and her twin sons, Casey and Brock, prepare to enter the same perilous contest.

Jen’s sons are as different as night and day. Casey, a passionate surfer and environmental activist, uses his platform to expose illegal poachers, putting him at odds with a dangerous crime syndicate. Brock, on the other hand, runs a rescue mission called Breath of Life, which aids in natural disasters, but his work attracts its own set of enemies.

As the competition approaches, a massive swell heads toward the Pacific coast, heightening the tension and stakes for the Stonebreaker family. Parker masterfully intertwines the thrill of surfing with the suspense of a crime novel, creating a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The novel excels in its character development, particularly in exploring the complex dynamics within the Stonebreaker family. The bonds and fractures among them are portrayed with depth and authenticity, making their struggles and triumphs resonate deeply. The vivid descriptions of the surfing scenes and the palpable sense of danger add to the novel’s immersive experience.

While the book is packed with action and suspense, I did find the multiple plotlines a bit overwhelming. I have to say I did listen to this at the beach and that definitely added to my listening enjoyment! Major Curda and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker did a wonderful job bring the story to life for me - I felt like I was right there! I would say "Desperation Reef” is a must read for fans that love a standout thriller with the intrigue of a crime drama.

Wow, there is a lot of going on in this story. The book centers around a surfing family: mother Jen Stonebreaker, who lost her husband years ago to a big wave surfing accident, and her sons Casey and Brock. The two brothers, who couldn’t be more different, are gearing up to compete in the very contest that took their father’s life. Right there would be enough for a compelling story, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface, there is so much more going on. We have ‘pirates’ carrying out illegal shark finning (and drug running), the fighting of natural disasters, dog-napping, the ‘mob’ wanting to take over Jen’s restaurant and that's not all.. I know that all sounds wild and so random, but trust me Parker has managed to craft all of those seemingly random things into a tight cohesive and compelling storyline. As for the narration, it’s top notch. For years my friend has been telling me to check out Parker’s work, and boy am I glad I finally did. 4.5 stars! I’d like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review an advanced copy of the audio version of T. Jefferson Parker’s Desperation Reef.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R34ISYJL27X6Z5/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This one was just okay. Audio was good. I was really intrigued at the beginning of the book. The whole surfer aspect of it was something new & getting into the storyline a little more and seeing the mystery part of it. But I felt like it kind of went off the rails for me. The religious community type aspect was not my jam. There was a lot going on in places that I feel like it didn't need to be. Just didn't love this one.

Rating: 2/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️
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Let me first and foremost say this cover is absolutely stunning. As soon as I saw it, I was like yeahhhh I need that book. Synopsis sounded even more enticing. Totally thought I was going to get the ultimate surfing / beach vibes….
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This unfortunately didn’t really work for me, what I expected as a thriller turned out to be more of a saga of different events. This was a huge ode to surfing - which I absolutely love because surfing will always hold a special place in my heart. Personally, I’d have rather the story focused on the surfing aspect rather than the whole “thriller” part. There was also a love story thrown in there that was meh.
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Desperation Reef is told in multiple points of view, between Jen, Brock and Casey. The characters weren’t anything overly special, a few were a smidge annoying for my taste - but thats totally a me problem.
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I listened to this one via audiobook and it was super easy to follow. It was narrated by Major Curda and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker. They were great, loved them.
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Overall, this one was a miss for me, but that does not mean that it will be a miss for you. Check this one out! It released on 7/16. Huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and T. Jefferson Parker for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book really wasn't my cup of tea. To be honest, I almost DNFed a few times but I have a really hard time doing that! I don't like things to be unfinished. I find surfing to be an impressive and exciting sport and I did like some of the insight on the reality of being in competitions, but I didn't find I cared much about the characters and I found the YouTube star twin to be pretty unbearable.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.

Desperation Reef is the first book I’ve read by T. Jefferson Parker. I enjoyed the surfing and the pace of this novel. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators do a great job. The narrators really brought the story to life. This is ideal reading for the Summer!

This is a new to me author and narrator. And while I throughly enjoys the narrator, I didn’t love this story. Reading the blurb I expected a lot more surfing and a lot less multi-side plots. Following not just the mother but the twin boys lives out of the ocean was a bit much.

I love surfing(well watching I have never tried myself). But this plot fell flat unfortunately. The characters are relatable, there was some topics that are a in real life problem with the water ways, ocean, fishing, wildfire etc.

This book leaned really heavily on stereotypes in a cartoonish manner. I was disappointed in the ways in which the characters did not have a great deal of depth or complexity, and while I have no issue with faith, it popped up in strange ways in the text that made me feel disconnected from the listening. I did learn a bit about surfing and it sent me to YouTube to watch massive waves so I could see what the author was talking about.

Surfing and illegal poachers are the center of this high stakes crime thriller. Jen’s husband John was killed 25 years ago in a surfing accident and Jen hasn’t surfed since. She owns a popular restaurant and one of her sons helps her run it when he isn’t surfing. I enjoyed the sub story on the pirate poachers illegally finning sharks. When they are caught on film by Casey, the revenge begins. The dog is kidnapped and the family restaurant burned to the ground. Jen will faces her fears by returning to surfing with her sons and rebuilding her restaurant. Casey is also involved in a relationship with one of the pirates. A lot of different things are going on. Overall a decent read. Thank you @macmillan.audio for the ALC. this story is available July 16th.

T. Jefferson Parker is one of my favorite authors. I’ve read just about all of his books. This one kept my interest (though i didn’t like the narrator and thought the narrator took away from the suspense aspect of the book). I’ll be interviewing Jeff Parker at the Orange County (CA) Book Fair on July 13 and may read it in print by then to see how my reading experience differs. This one is one of my favorites of his from recent years. Love all the surfing detail and the story about the sons, Casey and Brock, and their mother Jen. Not a predictable ending.

I loved this big-wave, big-drama, suspenseful read. Set in Southern California and starring a family of very intense surfers—a mom, her twin 24-year old sons, and the very large presence and legend their husband/dad left behind when he died during a surf competition 25 years ago.

There’s a mob connection, a surf competition, a kidnapped dog, sabotage, rough riders, and so much more. If you’re looking for an adventure-focused summer read with no dull moments, you’ve found it!

This book - out at @forgereads July 16th - was not on my radar before seeing it in the audio options but the Southern California surfer setting with thriller-y, family drama and true crime/podcast elements sounded so good that I took a leap and I was not disappointed. This was so much fun to listen to, the Surf culture, chasing that next big wave came to life, so did the dangers.
Brock and Casey the twins who lost their father to big wave surfing before they are born and react very differently to challenges but both chase the next big wave and their mom finally able to lay all the cards on the table as to what happened that fateful day 25 years ago, the surf themed restaurant as a family business competing with others, a battle of integrity or bending the rules, is an eye for an eye the way to go or holding out the other cheek, this was truly fun to listen, great audio that kept my attention ! Major Curda and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker are a great narrating duo !

Desperation Reef. It sounds so sinister. The title, the cover, the blurb-they all drew me in and I couldn’t wait to listen to the audiobook. Womp womp.

Maybe it’s my mistake, but I got the impression this would be more of a murder mystery/thriller, but rather it’s a love letter to surf culture (which to be fair, it hits) layered with social commentary, race issues, immigration politics, and some awkward stereotyping. Not what I was expecting. 2 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this advanced audiobook!

Catch some waves at the Desperation Reef!

This is my very first audiobook from this author. Jen Stonebreaker is preparing to re-enter the big-wave surfing competition that took her husband twenty-five years ago. She is accompanied by her twin sons, Casey and Brock, who are also competitive surfers. Casey faces danger from illegal poachers due to his activism, while Brock faces threats to his church and rescue mission. As the competition approaches, Jen fears for the safety of herself and her sons...

Desperation Reef is a promising book with a unique premise that delves into the world of surfing. Despite some cliches and cultural stereotypes, the author's detailed research on the sport is impressive. However, the story falls short due to a romance storyline that some readers may find distracting.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC audiobook. I am leaving review voluntarily.

DESPERATION REEF was unfortunately a miss for me. I was expecting more thriller (like THE SWELL!) and less politics. I really enjoyed the suspense of the surfing scenes, but was disappointed by the lackluster reveal of Jen's big secret. I also enjoyed Casey's beef with the pirates, the fallout from it, and the hint of romance.

I definitely didn't like the religious parts. They detracted from the suspense storylines. I'm not sure if the author was trying to make a point (honestly I fast forwarded through them) but performative religion gives me the ick and it's never something I want to read about.

In general this falls under the category of "not for me", but I'm sure there are people who will love it!

Very glad I listened to an audiobook so I could speed it up and fast forward where necessary.