The Gulf of Lions by Caitlin Shetterly

Some books arrive like a gust of salt air off the water — bracing, beautiful, and impossible to ignore. This is one of them.

“What a deliciously irresistible novel! This book is a five-star read. I guarantee you’ll love it.” raves Elin Hilderbrand. And Christina Baker Kline calls it “a wry, aching, life-affirming novel about cancer, motherhood, and the mess of being human… a tour de force.” High praise — and entirely earned.

From the acclaimed author of Pete and Alice in Maine comes this evocative standalone sequel. After a betrayal and a yearlong battle with breast cancer, Alice packs up her two daughters for a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip across France. It’s the fresh start she so desperately needs.

Their odyssey begins in the French Alps — a world of luscious food, sensual temptations, and sleeping beneath the stars. For the first time since her diagnosis, Alice feels alive. But as the family journeys south through Provence to the wild, wind-swept Gulf of Lions, the threads that bind them begin to loosen.

This is a breathtaking meditation on womanhood, survival, and sexual awakening — one that plumbs the eternal question: what, in the end, keeps a family from falling apart?

It’s the kind of story you’ll want to linger over. Curl up by the window, listen to the gulls, and let the pages carry you across France.

We’ve made room for it on our front shelf — and we think it deserves a place on yours. Stop by, give it a browse, or let us tuck a copy into your bag. We’d love to help you find your next favorite read.

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