This book was strange to me... I am not a sailor or a boater and a lot of this book was written in that lingo. Lots of little sailor sayings and slang. It is still understandable, but I think it lost a lot of its charm since I didn't "get it". Still an ok story. I don't think I would recommend this book, though. ( )

I shared this book with my father since he also made a boat delivery from Ft. Lauderdale to Tortola a few years ago. We had trouble getting through the first 50 or so pages - but some of the author's descriptions of what happened at certain ports of call were right on. They can be dangerous. I think it helped to have a personal connection to the experience in order to relate to the book. ( )

In Every Boat Turns South a wayward son returns home to make a last-ditch connection with a dying father, as Matt Younger struggles to tell his pathetic, lonely story and have it make some sense. Hale Younger, two years older than Matt, was destined for the Olympics with his athletic ability and The Naval Academy, with his over-the-top academic skills. Years have past since Matt's brother, Hale, the fair-haired golden boy, died while with Matt on a boat...a boat that was used in connection with a drug-smuggling operation. Only Matt knew of Hale's dark side, or so he thought. Matt believes that everyone thinks he let Hale die out in the deep, inky ocean. After the tragedy, Matt's life spins out of control and takes a turn for the worst while attempting to deliver a boat to St. Thomas. He, too, is caught up in the drug trade. While on this watery journey, he meets many friends and foes, loses years of life to incarceration, and sinks deeper into despair. When he finally returns home, his only wish is to tell his terminally ill father the unvarnished truth, the whole tragic story and make amends. In spite of all his troubles, he "gives thanks for all unspeakable sorrows of his life"...the death of a brother, a father, and a son.

Every Boat Turns South is part puzzle and part family dynamics, mixed with the demons that follow one young man through his mentally-torturous journey. Even though much of the story revolves around sailing lingo that a non-boating enthusiast would know nothing about, the human side to the story touches the soul and makes a long-lasting connection.

Thanks to Librarything and The Permanent Press for this ARC. ( )

Every Boat Turns South started as an interesting story but I slowly lost interest and found it a chore to finish. I did enjoy the authors descriptive writing style and I am willing to give this author another chance. ( )

J.P. White's use of language is so vivid I could almost smell the sea in his various ports-of-call. Interspersed with stories about the narrator's brother and family, the author turned an incredibel tale into something believable, although there were still moments when I just couldn't stretch credibility enough. The neat package at the end did not seem to fit the rest of the book. ( )