Deep Water

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills. Solid five

This book was AMAZING. I couldnt put ti down and finished it in one sitting, it was so gripping and captivated me right from the start and was engaging the whole way through. It was so well written with good characters and a great storyline. This is the sort of book I love to read sat on a sunlounger and I will definitely be reading this book when I finally get to sit on one. I loved it.

#DeepWater #NetGalley
Awesome read.
This book is perfect for the fans of The Girl In The Mirror and Reckless Girls. Awesome read.
Virginie and Jake spend all their savings on a yacht and set sail towards Amarante, a remote island rumoured to be a paradise. But what starts as a dream can quickly become a nightmare. And even paradise comes with a price...
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for giving me an advance copy.

This beautifully written tale of betrayal,manipulation and the intricacies of human relationships opens with Danial Tenghu who was Captain of the Royal Malaysian Navy Patrol vessel Patusan being informed by a member of his ships crew that two red distress flares had been spotted burning in the night sky. Danial had his doubts about the veracity of the sightings,after all,they were currently in the middle of the Atlantic ocean and thousands of miles from land. But when he gets to the bridge,he is shocked when a may day call comes over the radio from a terrified English woman who informs him that her name is Virginie and that her husband Jake is badly injured and in need of medical assistance. When Captain Tenghu and the rescue team reached and boarded what they presumed was the couple's catamaran The Santa Maria, it immediately became apparent that something horrific had occurred. Once everyone had returned to the Patusan, Tenghu encouraged Virginie to talk and she took the reader back in time and recounted the events before and during the couple's time on the island of Ararante.

At first it had appeared as if they were living in paradise, the endless sunny days, golden sands,crystal clear blue sea and a new group of friends in Stella, Pete, Roly, and later arrivals Vitor and Teresa. The group became like a small commune, sharing any provisions that they had on board their boats or food that was caught during the day, there was even island rules that had been past down through the years. But,as we all know, many things are never as perfect as they appear on the surface, the island had a dark,tragic past and someone was not who they appeared to be. As time passed, Virginie found herself falling under the spell of a master manipulator and Jake began to exhibit behaviour that was totally out of character for her affable husband. Behaviour that brought to the forefront of Virginie's mind memories of someone she was struggling to leave in the past. Tension began to build between the couple and the rest of the group and what had once felt like heaven on Earth eventually turned into a living nightmare. But what had happened and why did Virginie and Jake appear to be the only survivors? Where were the other islanders? The couple might have managed to escape the island but will Josh survive his terrible injuries and could their lives still be in danger once they reached the mainland?

The story had a mixed bag of realistic characters,some of whom.were neither likeable or trustworthy. My thoughts and feelings for Virginie and Jake ebbed and flowed like the waves that crashed onto the shore of the island. My stand out favourite character was Captain Danial Tenghu, he was such a kind hearted,caring man who was faced with making some difficult decisions whilst still dealing with tragic events from his own past.

Deep Water is a extremely well written debut with a plot that covers a number of different genre's and a wide range of realistic issues. The story hooks the reader in from the first page and contains a number of pages that were permeated with atmosphere and intensify. The author's descriptions of the island were so strikingly vivid that you could close your eyes and imagine the golden sand trickling between your toes, the unsettling feeling of being watched by a unseen figure, the eerie atmosphere when you stood within the ruins that were situated amongst the trees. I would gladly recommend this captivating story to anyone who.like me enjoyed the film The Beach staring Leonardo DiCaprio and I look forward to reading many more of year author's books in the future.