Troubled Waters

Troubled Waters
Susan May Warren
Revell, 2018

Even though it’s been three years, billionaire Ian Shaw still obsesses over his missing niece, Esme. Add to that the fact that his obsession also drove away Sierra Rose, the woman he loves, and another recent tragedy he feels responsible for has left him cash poor, and Ian feels like there’s nothing left for him to do but leave Montana behind. He plans to return to Texas, but first he has to sell his ranch and his yacht, the Montana Rose.

After a freak accident during a rescue mission destroys the PEAK Rescue Team chopper, Sierra feels the pressure to raise funds to fix it. She strikes a deal with Ian to use his yacht for a fundraiser for his rich friends who might consider a donation, but she isn’t counting on Ian coming along. Boarding the Montana Rose to find Ian on board complicates things for her. She isn’t looking forward to having the object of her unrequited affection right in front of her for three long days, plus she has a secret to keep – she’s found Esme. But Ian’s niece didn’t want to be found and swore Sierra to secrecy.

When a rogue wave capsizes the boat and washes Sierra and Ian up on an uninhabited island, they are forced to work together to survive. In the process they confront the past and their feelings for each other, but when Ian learns what Sierra knows about Esme will he be able forgive her for withholding the truth? Of course, none of that matters if the PEAK team doesn’t find them soon.

This post contains affiliate links. Read more about that here. Thanks to Revell for providing a copy of Troubled Waters in exchange for an honest review.

So here’s the deal. Is this book serious literary fiction? No. Did I still love it and devour it with the greatest of speed? Yes! Troubled Waters is the fourth book in the Montana Rescue series, but don’t let starting in the middle deter you. Though there is a bit of extra back story implied for some of the support characters, for the most part it reads very smoothly as a standalone novel.

The reason I say the this isn’t very literary is that the drama factor is pretty high. There are many misunderstandings and a lot of ‘if only she could love me but I think she cares for someone else’ type of moments that knock it out of the running for a Pulitzer, but when combined with all the physically dangerous situations the characters find themselves in makes for a fast-paced, attention-grabbing story. I mean, there is a forest fire, a helicopter crash, and a yacht wreck all in this one book – plenty of will-they-make-it-out-alive tension to keep you reading.

There are elements of faith to this book, with characters struggling to believe that God really loves them, or believing but being unwilling to give Him control in their lives. We see how these issues impact their relationships and I hope it’s not too much a spoiler to say you can expect some redemption as the story progresses. I really like how the author uses the events that unfold to illustrate how God works in mysterious ways that require our trust.

So to sum up, if you like adventure and don’t mind a little drama then give Troubled Waters a try! I’ve already checked to see if books one, two, and three are available at my library, and I made the mistake of reading the preview to book five at the end of the book. It doesn’t come out till May but I want to keep reading now! Well done, book marketers, well done.

How do you feel about a little bit of melodrama every now and then? Do you enjoy it on occasion or is it a deal breaker for you?