Review of Deep Water by Kat Martin

I would like to welcome Kat Martin to my blog today where we are featuring the last book in the Sinclair sister's trilogy, Deep Water.

Mind Your Own Business. . .Or Else. . .

For reporter Hope Sinclair, writing about the recovery of a sunken Spanish treasure off Pleasure Island should be her big chance. But Hope can't help feeling that she's been hand-picked for this job for all the wrong reasons. Someone wants Hope out of New York and off the story that could blow a corruption case wide open. If they think sending her to paradise will shut her up, they've got another thing coming.

Hope's subject, treasure hunter Conner Reese, isn't happy to have her along for the ride. He doesn't need the publicity, nor does he want an incredibly tempting redhead on board, driving his crew--and himself--to distraction. But there's something else, too. As a former Navy SEAL, Conner can sense extreme danger, and danger is following Hope Sinclair very, very closely. . .

Now, in the deceptively serene beauty of a sultry Caribbean paradise, Hope and Conner are moving ever closer to finding a priceless Incan relic, and diving deeper into waters more treacherous than they could possibly imagine. . .

Kat Martin:

Currently living in Missoula, Montana, Kat Martin is the bestselling author of over fifty Historical and Contemporary Romance novels. Before she started writing in 1985, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, Larry Jay Martin, also an author. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. "I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era." 

To date, Kat has over twelve million copies of her books in print. She is published in twenty foreign countries, including Germany, Norway, Sweden, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia, England, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Japan and Greece.

You can visit with Kat at  http://katbooks.com/

Excerpt:

Hope felt the deck sway beneath her feet.  The Conquest was eighty-feet long and looked to be very well equipped.  She glanced around and spotted a fiftyish, silver-haired man walking toward her while a taller, dark-haired man followed a few feet behind. 

She smiled at the first man.  "Hello, I'm Hope Sinclair.  It's very nice to meet you.  You must be Conner Reese."

He gave her a warm, inviting smile.  "Actually, I'm Bob Gibson, captain of the Conquest."  He turned to the man behind him.  "This is Conner Reese."

She tried not to stare.  If she'd had more time, she would have known everything there was to know about the partners of Treasure Limited.  As it was, she knew Brad Talbot, the money man, and she had met Eddie Markham, the owner of Pleasure Island.  This man, the head of the search operation, Conner Reese, was nothing at all what she had expected.

She extended a hand.  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reese.  I'm Hope Sinclair.  I assume you've been expecting me."

"Expecting you to what?"

She didn't like his tone, or the unfriendly look in his eyes.  But she had to admit they were gorgeous, the same incredible blue as the sea.  And he was handsome.  Remarkably so.  He was wearing red swim trunks and canvas deck shoes, his chest bare and nicely sculpted with muscle.  He had a set of very impressive biceps, a lean, flat, six-pack stomach, and a pair of shoulders that would stretch the limits of a size seventeen shirt.  And he was tall, at least six-foot-two, with a very dark tan. 

Still, it was obvious he wasn't pleased to see her and that jabbed her temper.  She didn't want to be there in the first place.  The least he could do was be pleasant.

She pasted on a smile.  "Since you weren't told I was coming, I suppose I had better explain.  I'm a writer for Adventure magazine.  I'm here to do an article on your search for the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Senora de Rosa.  I assumed someone from the magazine would have called you."

"Yeah, well they didn't.  Adventure might like to do a story, but unfortunately we're not interested.  It's a shame you came all this way for nothing but that's the way it is.  The last thing we need is a bunch of people finding out we're down here looking for sunken treasure."

She worked to keep her friendly smile in place, all the while cursing Conner Reese.  "I'm afraid you don't understand.  I've been assigned to do this story and that's what I intend to do."  She glanced around at the ultra-modern equipment on the deck, most of it new.  "You probably have a satellite phone out here.  Why don't you call Brad Talbot?  He can explain what's going on."

"Talbot?  This was Talbot's idea?"

A noise behind them interrupted her answer.  She turned to see one of the crewman coming down from the wheelhouse holding a cell phone, a huge black man in baggy knee-length shorts and a blue-flowered shirt.  He had a chest the size of a wine cask and arms that would rival Mike Tyson's. 

"It's for you, boss."

Reese took the phone, flicked a glance at Hope, then turned and walked a couple of feet away.  He was angry and getting madder by the minute, speaking louder and louder until she could hear every word.

"Are you insane?  We let her write a bunch of articles about this operation and we're going to have every amateur treasure hunter within two thousand miles breathing down our necks.  This isn't the States, Talbot, it's a private island.  The only laws here are the ones they make up.  We won't have a damn bit of protection--legal or otherwise--if we start to have trespassing problems."

Talbot said something lengthy on the other end of the line. 

"This is crazy," Reese said.  Then, "Fine--have it your way.  But don't say I didn't warn you."  Reese ended the call and took a deep breath.  He handed the phone back to the big black man.  "Thanks, King."

"No problem, boss."

Reese turned to face her, a scowl on his handsome face.  "I guess you're staying, since Talbot holds the purse strings."  He gave her a perusal that went from her breasts to her toes and sent her hackles up another notch.  "But then you probably knew that already."

Hope clamped down on a nasty retort and the captain stepped into the fray. 

"Why don't I take the lady down to her cabin?" he suggested, trying to prevent what was fast becoming a mutual dislike.

Reese gave Hope a cold, hard smile.  "I'll take care of it.  I want to make sure our guest gets properly settled in."

Ignoring his grim expression, Hope reached for her carry-on.  Surprisingly, Reese picked it up before she had the chance.  At least he knew how to behave like a gentleman, though she figured he usually chose not to.

She sighed as she followed his broad, muscular back along the deck to the ladder.  It was going to be a helluva long three weeks.

Guest Post:

Vacationing at sea ... exhilarating or exhausting?

Next year I’m planning to take a cruise.  I’ve only done it twice before--both times on Carnival, fun because both were readers’ cruises.  Six hundred and fifty readers and only twenty five authors!  It was like being a big celebrity, even though it only lasted a week.  It was terrific to talk books with people who love them as much as I do. 

Next year’s cruise will be different.  We’re going to the Greek Isles--or at least so we thought until last week when I found out the boat doesn’t stop at any real islands.  They kind of tricked us, but it was a very good deal, money-wise, since the cruise industry is after the accident in Italy and Greece has riots in the streets. 

So it’s going to be cheaper--if we live through it.  And there is always the possibility of storms that time of year.  I’m definitely taking my patch--which, incidentally, actually works.  Twelve-foot seas and you don’t feel a thing.  Kind of like being drunk without the hangover.  Gotta have a prescription for it, though, but it’s usually easy to get. 

Our last cruise was in the Caribbean--the setting for DEEP BLUE, a book that Kensington Publishing is re-issuing September 1, with a fabulous new hunky male cover.

This is part of the Sinclair Sisters’ trilogy.  Conner Reese is the captain of a salvage boat who is searching the waters off Jamaica for Spanish sunken treasure.  Con has work to do and he isn’t happy to have lady reporter, Hope Sinclair, interfering in his business.  The book has been out of print for a while and the new cover is really fantastic.  If you haven’t read it, I hope you’ll give DEEP BLUE a try. 

So tell me...how do you feel about cruising?  Great fun or a nightmare?  Love to hear your thoughts.  Have a great summer.  Happy reading, Kat  

My Review:

          A tropical paradise, the sun, boats, a handsome man, buried treasure, and danger? That meets my requirements for a sexy novel, and that is exactly what Kat Martin accomplished with “Deep Water”.

          I have never read a book that incorporated deep sea diving for buried treasure and I found it quite intriguing. I love history and enjoyed reading about the ships that have been lost at sea and the treasures they harbored deep within. I knew very little about the process and research that goes into finding, or hoping to find, these lost treasures. The book has peaked my interest in hunting for lost treasure. I am even considering a trip to the local library to learn more on this topic.

          At the time I was contacted to review the book, I was not aware that it was part of a trilogy. I am definitely going to be catching up with the other two sisters and their adventures.

          From a technical standpoint, I found the book well written, incorporating multiple adventures/storylines, along with well-developed characters, concluding with the fairytale ending that Kat Martin is so well known. Folks – grab this one up and head for the mountains and hammock on the porch.

Giveaway!!
Kat Martin has graciously offered a copy of Deep Blue for a giveaway. Just leave a comment along with your email, for contact purposes only.
The Giveaway Disclaimer can be found on the right hand side of my blog.
This giveaway will close on September 5, 2012. 

Deep Water can be purchased on Amazon.

While you are there, I hope you'll vote yes for my review.

Add an extra entry if you do. Thank you!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R15CAZFK7SJK63/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B003KN3JHA&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=

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