The Pelican Tide - by Sharon J Wishnow (Paperback)

About the Book

It's taken Chef Josie Babineaux six months to reconcile the debts left from her husband Brian s gambling along with her broken heart. But now with a promising tourist season heating up and a travel magazine declaring her the spice queen of the bayou, she may be able to save her family's historic Cajun restaurant. Repairing her relationship with her daughter, Minnow, while hiding the true reason she left her husband is a bigger issue.

Book Synopsis

It's taken Chef Josie Babineaux six months to reconcile the debts left from her husband Brian's gambling along with her broken heart. But now with a promising tourist season heating up and a travel magazine declaring her the spice queen of the bayou, she may be able to save her family's historic Cajun restaurant. Repairing her relationship with her daughter, Minnow, while hiding the true reason she left her husband is a bigger issue.

Just as the first tourists arrive, an explosion at the oil rig where Brian works changes everything, for both the family and the island community. The near loss of her children's father upends Josie's fragile new plans, and she's left wondering what it would be like to go forward alone--and whether that's what she really wants.

As the disaster endangers the restaurant's menu, clientele, and even its mascot, Gumbo--a brown pelican dear to Minnow's heart--Josie realizes her family needs more than financial recovery. Only honesty and intense effort can clean up the guilt and hurt pooling under the surface. And maybe, with enough heart, and some extra hot chilis, this family can find renewal.

Review Quotes

"Food, family, and second chance romance: Sharon J. Wishnow's debut has everything I love in a novel--and a few things I didn't even know I loved until I read The Pelican Tide. I can't recommend this engrossing and utterly heartwarming story highly enough." --Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Good for You

"Set in Grand Isle, Louisiana, in the wake of the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill, The Pelican Tide is the story of a family in turmoil, a historic café, and a beautiful but fragile ecosystem under threat. A layer of oil sludge coats the local beaches and estuaries, fishing is banned, tourists disappear, and the entire island community faces tough decisions. Against this backdrop, Josie and Brian struggle to hold their marriage together while trying to ensure a future on the island they love. In this assured debut, Sharon Wishnow creates a strong sense of place and deftly brings the natural world of this Gulf barrier island to life. Readers looking for a heartwarming story, memorable characters, and the delights of a wayward pelican named Gumbo will be richly rewarded." --Rebecca Hodge, award-winning author of Wildland