I really tried to get further in this new Martin book but it just wasn't my kind of story despite my loving most of his other books. Sadly, a DNF for me.

Contemporary Fiction

What else can be said about a novelist who continues to produce excellent books year after year? I sure as heck don't know, but The Last Exchange is another superb novel from a master of contemporary fiction.

Maybe Joe Sue was abandoned by her parents and raised in the foster system. Discovered at age 18, when working in an all-night diner, she was catapulted to stardom. Along the way she married another actor, Syd and hired a bodyguard, Pockets.

The story is told in a dual timeline narrative with the author bringing us back and forth between past and present. The past details Mrs. Joe's rise to fame, her struggles with fertility and her working relationship with Pockets. The present timeline tells us of her kidnapping and the ransom demands being made to her by her surrogate. It makes for fascinating reading.

The characters are rich, bold and highly flawed. The plotting is tight and engaging. If I have a criticism, it's the courtroom scenes at the end - but it's a device to get the "Why".

I, only recently, began reading Charles Martin, but he will forever now be a go-to author for me. This is wonderful story of love and redemption and sacrifice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

This book really blew me away. I had very high hopes for this book but was trying not to set my expectations too high. It far exceeded my expectations! I requested this book because to this date one of my all time favorite books is by our author, Where the River Ends, from 2008. I still love it enough that I gifted a copy to my mom last year because it was still on my mind. But let’s discuss the here and now.

I would warn of triggers and suggest that you do your own research if there are some you avoid. Some I would mention, but not limited to are, infertility, addiction, and pregnancy loss.

I haven’t read any other reviews yet because I don’t want to put other review ideas in my head. I have a feeling somewhere someone else may have or may also mention that in the best way possible the character Maybe Joe Sue in this book reminds me of Evelyn Hugo. Now not exactly, those are some giant shoes to fill, but she did come to mind. In this story Maybe Joe Sue is a movie star who hires MacThomas Pockets to be her bodyguard. This story has two very fascinating timelines, a before and after. The before being their working relationship, and the after, following once they have parted ways. Even after parting “Pockets” is the only one that truly knows “Joe” and scoops in to save her. It is always fascinating to me when I end up rooting for the “bad guy”, and loving the strung out movie star. It’s really hard not to with this wonderfully told story. It all comes together perfectly.

Thank you to our author, Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for providing me with an advanced eGalley copy of the book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was available on October 3rd, 2023. I hope if you choose to read it you enjoy it as much as I did.

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

Told in a dual time frame, this story has lots of twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing. The story was not what I expected.. Very much an adult themed book. No faith element. Loved Pockets but not the book.

My first Charles Martin book was When Crickets Cry and I have been a Stan ever since. He has a formula for his books of providing strong, rich characters with an interesting backstory (mysterious male protagonist, broken heroine) that go through tragic events and come out to the other side uplifted. The Last Exchange, as with most of his novels, is a story within a story, and follows that same formula. It is a story of friendship, love, commitment, forgiveness, and survival. This author always take tough, heart wrenching topics and writes about them in the most delicate and beautiful of ways. I listened to the audiobook of this one and the narration captures the main characters perfectly.

A beautifully written story. The author has created a fully developed cast of characters all dealing with potentially real world situations. I enjoyed the emotional read. It leaves you thinking what would you do for someone you love.

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.

I’ve read two Charles Martin books in the past week and he is officially one of my favorite authors.

This one includes a good dose of drama, loss, and Scottish thrilled r’s. Perfect for anyone who loves celebrity gossip, the Queen, and thrills.

CW: violence, infant loss, drugs

I didn't enjoy The Last Exchange and have concluded that this author just isn't for me. I couldn’t find a character that I liked. Some readers might find Pockets (the Scottish hero) dreamy but I’m struggling with that because he is an escaped convict (minor spoiler alert -- you learn that very early in the book) who employs violent and abusive actions. I don’t appreciate descriptions of violence or vigilante justice. Many aspects including the final court scene were far-fetched. The ending wasn’t satisfying to me especially since the story with the “weak woman needs a man to save her” theme is carried through to the end without convincing me the woman can survive on her own. Trigger warnings for repeated miscarriage, opioid addiction/rehab, violence (including against a pregnant woman), infidelity and kidnapping. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an advance copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions 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.

Maybe Joe Sue (yes, that's her actual name) didn't ask for fame, but fame found her at a roadside diner. Pockets didn't expect to be a personal bodyguard for a movie star, but after being a consultant for a movie, Pockets ends up being in Joe's employment. Pockets is the only one who sees the real Joe and vows to do whatever necessary to protect her, even if that means protecting her from herself. Told through a series of "befores" and "afters", Charles Martin does an excellent job of letting the reader into the minds of Joe and Pockets. A little bit thriller, a lot of suspense, and a touch of romance, The Last Exchange can be viewed as one story on the surface and another with a deeper meaning. I highly recommend this book.

Major trigger warning: infertility, miscarriage, and infant loss

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Last Exchange by Charles Martin is a suspenseful, emotional contemporary fiction.
I’ve never read a book by Martin but after devouring The Last Exchange I need to get his previous titles.
I loved this book. The writing flowed nicely throughout most of the book. It was easy to read and picture what the characters were experiencing!! I was pulled into the story immediately and just loved it.
These characters will stay with me a long time.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I enjoy Charles Martin’s writing, and though I don’t often read “Christian Fiction,” the synopsis for this book intrigued me and it is a departure from his usual writing. More of a mystery thriller for me. A brilliant young star, her older Scottish bodyguard, a selfish arrogant movie star husband…what could go wrong? Though the characters could have become cliche, they did not under Martin’s development. The beginning was a little slow and confused but quickly the plot thickened and became interesting. It wasn’t until the end that I realized there was no swearing and no gratuitous sex scenes, something a lot of writers use as a crutch to intrigue.

WOW! What a great book! It's a great read that hooked me on the first page and keep me turning the pages to see what happened next. I hated to see this book end! It deserves more than 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Even though this was a bit of a departure from the adventures that Martin usually writes, it was still very enjoyable. It reminds us that we need to be less critical of other people and their issues, flaws, addictions etc. because we don't know their story or their struggles. Sometimes people don't have the ability to save themselves and if we don't show love and compassion by lifting them up, they are doomed to fail. Such good lessons taught in Martin's books which makes him one of my favorite authors! My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is one of the most engaging books I have read this year. It is the story of a starlet struggling through drug addiction and a need Over arching this is the deep love of someone who would sacrifice his life for her and her happiness. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to read a story of someone’s unselfish love for another. It was an unexpected delight.

Once again Charles Martin gives us an unlikely hero who is willing to lay down his life for others, not just being willing to die for others, but being willing to live for others. He reminds us that we should be ready to lay our lives down for another, not waiting for someone who seems to deserve it, but to offer it even for those who struggle through issues of their own making. In this story the object of the hero's service is an extremely rich, award winning, drug abusing, mentally unstable woman who has been emotionally and sometimes physically abused. When we encounter someone who inspires a list of negative attributes, may we, like our unlikely hero, be able to see the value of a human life and be willing to allow our lives to be used by God to assist as He has enabled us.

Charles Martin weaves this story slowly and deliberately, crafting an intricate plot as he moves between the past and the present, slowly revealing events that molded the characters and the decisions they make. Martin is very bold in the mental images he creates. This book may be one that reignites the social media debate over how far can a story go and still be considered Christian fiction. In actuality those who don't have a relationship with Christ may not see him in the pages of this story, but those who do will find places where he is revealed.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Last Exchange from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I received aa complimentary electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, author Charles Martin, and publisher Thomas Nelson. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Last Exchange of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am always thrilled to receive another Charles Martin novel and to recommend his work to friends and family. He writes a compelling tale with personable folks and a storyline that will keep you reading into the night.

And The Last Exchange is no exception. You are gonna love Maybe Joe Sue, a woman who made her way through 27 foster homes before she aged out of the system, is in a destructive and unhappy marriage and is the darling of Hollywood anyway. And her personal security man, Kelly MacThomas Pockets - you going to love him, as well. Every chapter is another step into a tale that won't turn you loose. I hope these characters will visit us, again.

Mr. Martin writes emotional and compelling stories that you can’t put down. I wasn’t quite sure about this one in the beginning as there was some angst that went on for quite a while but then BOOM, things started to really accelerate! We learned bits and pieces throughout the story about Maybe Joe Sue, her childhood, career, and traumatic losses. When she asked Pockets (MacThomas Pockets – what a great name!) to be her bodyguard based on various circumstances, he took his job seriously. I would love to hear him say, yes mum (sounding like’ moom’) and nothing Mrs. Joe could say would change his formality. Even though Pockets didn’t say much personally until later in the story, he definitely had some great wisdom to share – ‘a life laid down is better than one picked up’.
I did NOT like Mrs. Joe’s husband, Syd. He was self-centered and wanted all of the attention, whereas, Mrs. Joe didn’t have to do much, and the public loved her. She was just the best character even though she was covering her pain with pills and couldn’t kick the addiction.
When a certain event happens, I just didn’t know what to think – it was outrageous and a bit scary. There was such a mystery and there was a lot going on. By the end of the book, I was so emotional to find out things we didn’t know earlier in the story – just so much heartbreak. I was stunned when I realized I had finished the book and I still had questions and definitely wanted justice for Mrs. Joe. It ended with a’ good-for-now’ status but I wanted more and haven’t stopped thinking about the various events.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I want to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

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.