The Last Exchange is a very well written book. Charles Martin has delivered another winner. Great plot with well developed characters. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book. This is my unbiased review.

I don't remember the last time I've been so engrossed in a novel! Without giving too much away, this mystery is about a Hollywood star's journey with infertility and drug addiction and how her bodyguard, Pockets, is willing to risk it all to help her find true happiness.
This story is written in two time frames- Before and After. At the beginning, it was hard to put the puzzle pieces together. But, as the story progressed, the "Before" and "After" made sense.
There are only a handful of books that I would read more than once, but this is definitely one of them. I can't wait to read more of Charles Martin's books!

Every now and then, I stumble upon a book that has it all--depth of character, a driving plotline, twists I can't see coming, and--the icing on the cake--writing that is almost poetic at times, without being pretentious.

The Last Exchange is just such a book. It's the kind of book that makes you care. Real-world situations--like opioids, which are wreaking havoc in so many families right now, yet are rarely addressed in inspirational fiction--were handled thoughtfully and portrayed realistically. And the characters and their backstories were compelling--after all, if you don't like Pockets as much as I do, are you even human?

This is one of those books that skyrockets to the top of my "Best of the Year" lists, one I can recommend to a wide variety of reading friends, and one that will stick with me. I'm very impressed with it, and I'm hard to impress. A little like Pockets, in fact.

It's a comfort to know there are still books like this going out into the world. Top notch.

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

Excellent book! This is the type of book you don't want to put down. Maybe Joe Sue is an excellent character, overcoming failed marriages, failed pregnancies and addictions. An actress who has earned many nominations if not awards she always helps those around her. This book has everything, romance, mystery and even a bit of a thriller. Highly, highly recommend.

Wow..this book...just wow.
Best book.that I've read this year by far
Started it not really sure about it but it definitely drew me in. So many feels. A love story in the end that just touched my heart big time. Thus author has a way with words that make you believe The story is actually true.
I read this in one sitting it was yes that great!!!.

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

Thanks to the author,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Charles Martin has done it again! What a remarkable story! His new book, The Last Exchange, will leave you spellbound until the very end. The Last Exchange is a story of hope in the midst of adversity, unconditional love and loyalty, good vs. evil, grief and loss, and is displayed in a web of relationships and characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is written in two-time frames, before and after, and can be sometimes hard to follow initially, but as you progress, you start to take the tidbits of information Charles presents, and simply want more. You will read this book quickly, as it is hard to put down! Topics such as loss, addiction, and heartbreak are prevalent throughout the story. The ending represents what true commitment and love can bring to a society overwhelmed by brokenness and sorrow.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishers, Charles Martin, and Net Galley for the complimentary copy of this book that I received. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love this book. As always this author gives himself to the story making you want read and not stop. His characters are so believable and real. Loved it! Would give it 10 stars if I could Cantwait for his next book!

There has not been one time I have read a Charles Martin novel that I didn’t end up a blubbering snotty mess. And with The Last Exchange I have extended that streak. Martin will drive you insane (in the best way) wondering where in the world he is going with the story at the beginning, only to sit at the end of the book staring open mouthed and stunned to see where the journey ended. Thank you netgalley and Thomas Nelson for Themis advanced copy!

“I am a prisoner in a nuthouse with a complete nutjob.”

“We are all a mess. And no amount of money, and no amount of drugs, changes that. When you’re broken, life is about finding the beauty in the mess. And then holding on for dear life. And there’s no shame in that. Provided we’re honest about it.”

“Love is what makes us who we are. Hope is how we express us. Hope is love with legs.”

This was in many ways a different kind of Charles Martin book. Although it had some of his usual trademarks (mysterious male protagonist, broken heroine, beautiful writing), it edged more towards thriller than his usual emotional literary fiction. I think it was a good genre for him but it didn’t have the emotional payoff that his other books had - it was definitely more The Mountain Between Us than Long Way Gone or When Crickets Cry. But after his masterpiece trilogy of The Water Keeper series, it is no surprise that he may continue to ratchet up the thrills from now on.

Having just read his older book Unwritten, I felt there were some similarities in his characters of Katie Quinn and Maybe Joe Sue. Pockets, on the other hand, was a very interesting character and had a different feel from a lot of his main characters, part of which was that he was a secondary character to Maybe Joe Sue. I still feel like there was more to explore with the character.

What kept this from being a 5 star for me was that I pretty much guessed all the big twists and reveals throughout. Charles Martin always does a great job of withholding information until it’s completely necessary in order to keep the reader intrigued and give a nice payoff. So this one had those moments at the beginning but then it all seemed pretty obvious how it all was going to play out. The good news is even if you guess it, it still made for an interesting story. As I read the ARC of this book, I do hope they go in before final print where are multiple pages of dialogue between Joe and her captor and put in more “Joe said” in various spots because there were times I would get lost on who was talking (formats on ARC’s often make it even more confusing).

All in all, a good book and worth reading. Just not as good as some of his masterpieces he has done.

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

This book, to say the least, was very unique! I will admit that I had a hard time getting into it. The beginning was vague and choppy, but once I did, I ended up reading the entire thing in one sitting. It's a strange, gripping story. One of the big reveals became fairly obvious to me at about 50%, but it did not detract. My main criticism would be the ending, which felt very abrupt. And, question...Isn't Queen Elizabeth's daughter Princess Anne? The story calls her Catherine. That was confusing.

Charles Martin's books are always a wonderful treat to read. With each story having a subtle parable they bring meaning and strength to the reader. Martin's latest novel, the Last Exchange was no different. Maybe Joe Sue and Pockets are introduced as the main characters. While they lead different lifestyles, they are brought together to bring a enjoyable cast of characters to the story. The story line itself rolls fairly well and does a good job of keeping the reader immersed in the plot. Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors, and this one doesn't disappoint; definitely movie material. For readers of clean romance and intrigue, check out all of Martin's books, he's one of the best.

Charles Martin has done it again! I was fortunate to receive an ARC through NetGalley. Thank you!!! I am a huge Charles Martin fan. I read it in one sitting. Now I'm upset it's over. This may have to be a read over. The story grabbed me from the beginning. Having read all of Martin's previous novels I knew it would address some hard topics. Miscarriage, infertility and some violence were part of the story. Charles Martin has a wonderful talent of writing from both the male and female perspective. What a beautiful love story and tells the limits one would go to to protect someone they love so deeply they would even sacrifice them self. I will say the court scene was a bit unbelievable but it added to the story's drama. Up to this point, Martin's character Murphy Shepard was my favorite but Pockets just took over my number one spot.
Well done Charles Martin! Another home run!

The beauty of NetGalley is that you find authors that you normally might overlook. This is one of those! I wasn’t familiar with Charles Martin and wasn’t entirely sure about requesting this book, but am glad I did. What a ride. Initially, I had no idea where it was going and had real trouble seeing the connections between the different characters. However, had I noticed right away that there were “before” and “after “ chapters, I might have done better, ha! The story is like a fog, it slowly dissipates until everything becomes clear. “Joe”, the female lead, is real and believable who struggles with an issue that’s all too familiar to many of us. “Pockets” , one of the male characters, is too good to be true, most of the time. The book is full of intrigue and you’re wondering how this will end. The author is an excellent writer, “...where hope once bubbled up through the cracks of impossibility, she now knew only tragedy”. He throws in some “higher education” knowledge, if you will. Non-native speakers might struggle with some of his words and expressions such as “he cooked the books”, “liked to travel with a bit of a posse” or (my favorite) “every Tom, Dick and Harry.” It’s a fascinating read with a lot of depth and nuances that will probably require another read at some point in the future. His style reminds me of Davis Bunn, who has long been one of my favorite writers. I’m definitely adding Charles Martin to my list and will be looking for more of his work. I’d highly recommend giving The Last Exchange a try.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing me with a free complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was another wonderful book by one of my favorite authors. I have recommended it on a social media group of readers with over 20,000 members.

I received an early release copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.

In true Charles Martin fashion, you are about to open a wonderful book that does not loose its grip on you until the final page has turned. The Last Exchange is a story of good vs. evil, grief, hope, and the complications that relationships and life undoubtedly bring. It is told in a before and after plot line and, throughout the story, the reader is left in the dark about what exactly the event that took place to trigger this before and after. The ending is wrapped up beautifully and I cannot wait to read it again to appreciate it even more.

Thank you kindly to Thomas Nelson Publishers, Charles Martin, and Net Galley for the complimentary copy of this book that I received. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

*Note to readers- there is mention of miscarriages and infertility.

Each Charles Martin novel seems to be my favorite. I am not fond of sappy romances and his never are sappy. In fact I would not classify The Last Exchange as a romance, but it is a character driven love story. It included a mystery, with such a clear picture of good vs evil, and those trapped in an evil drama. The characters became so clear in how far they would go to really demonstarte their love, or their evil intentions. I appreciate Charles Martin keeping unnecessary bad language in check, he also keeps it a clean story , even while it deals with the ugly reality of actions of evil hearts.It will be available Oct. 3
Thank you Charles Martin for writing such wonderful stories. If it could be a ten, I would give it 10 stars
The story does deal with the trauma of multiple miscarriages.
Thanks to #NetGalley, #ThomasNelson, #CharlesMartin

This new book by Charles Martin has a different feel to it than his other books. It drew me in right away, but it took a long time to figure out what all was going on and how it was tying together. You may need some tissues by the time you get to the end. It is an amazing book, and the contrasts of self-love vs self-sacrificing love, addiction vs discipline, giving life vs taking life are very thought-provoking. You will either love or hate the characters. It’s well worth reading.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."  #TheLastExchange #NetGalley

Charles Martin has outdone himself with this book. The psychological suspense had me at the edge of the seat. As the story comes together, it left me completely in awe. As with all of his novels, I want to re-read it just to see the beauty of the story. The depth and the insight that is relayed throughout the story never ceases to astonish me. Maybe Joe Sue is a phenomenal character in the story and I can't say enough good things about this one!!



Thanks so much to the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

Charles Martin has done it again! The Last Exchange had the perfect amount of suspense to keep me reading and an imperfect main character, Maybe Joe Sue. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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

This is a story of two protagonists.

A woman snatched from humble beginnings to being an international star, with multiple Oscars under her belt and a strong addiction.

And a bodyguard who is intent on saving this star from herself.

The plot structure is that of BEFORE and AFTER. We are left wondering what the event is that precedes the AFTER.

When the BEFORE and AFTER grow together in time the POV of the AFTER switches to first person.
The dialogue is raw and conversational. Charles Martin does what he does best, giving us a deep dive into character. We believe in what drives both their choices, motivations and in essence their fiber. We understand and willingly go along on their journey.