Under the Bayou Moon
- Fiction
- Publisher: Revell (Baker Publishing Group)
- Published: 2021
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Publisher's Description
"Luesse's multifaceted, lyrical tale dazzles with larger-than-life villains searching for a big payday, a mythical albino alligator, a mysterious 'esprit Blanc' that allegedly roams the swamps, and a lovable cast. . . Readers who enjoy Southern romances will love this."--Publishers Weekly starred review"Luesse transports readers to the lush and hauntingly beautiful Louisiana bayou in 1949 . . . Readers who enjoy Lynn Austin's faith-filled historical romances will be pleased to discover Luesse."--Booklist starred review***Restless with the familiarity of her Alabama home, Ellie Fields accepts a teaching job in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country. Though rightfully suspicious of outsiders, who have threatened both their language and their culture, most of the people in tiny Bernadette, Louisiana, come to appreciate the young and idealistic schoolteacher as a boon to the town. She's soon teaching just about everyone--and coming up against opposition from both the school board and a politician with ulterior motives. Acclimating to a whole new world, Ellie meets a lonely but intriguing Cajun fisherman named Raphe who introduces her to the legendary white alligator that haunts these waters. Raphe and Ellie have barely found their way to each other when a huge bounty is offered for the elusive gator, bringing about a shocking turn of events that will test their love and their will to right a terrible wrong. A master of the Southern novel, Valerie Fraser Luesse invites you to enter the sultry swamps of Louisiana in a story that illuminates the struggle for the heart and soul of the bayou.
Endorsements (4)
“I can’t say enough good things about this story! I was transported to the 1949 Louisiana bayou, where I fell in love with the characters and setting. Teacher Ellie Fields seeks to find herself while helping the people she’s quickly coming to care about—especially one special little boy and his handsome uncle. Valerie spins a tale full of depth, detail, and humor, in which you can smell the bayou, feel the juice from the po’boy drip down your chin, and so much more. Come spend a few hours in Bernadette, Louisiana. You might find you don’t want to leave! I know I didn’t.”
“There’s just something about a novel by Valerie Fraser Luesse that feels like coming home. Reading Under the Bayou Moon felt like an invitation to sit with Valerie in her story shack so she could spin a yarn that made me fall in love with a place I’ve never been and care deeply for characters I’ve never met. This is the magic of good fiction, isn’t it? And Valerie performs her enchantments with a lyrical Southern style that took my breath away. This is a book to be savored.”
“With atmosphere dripping from every page like Spanish moss on a cypress tree, Valerie Fraser Luesse brings the Louisiana bayou to vivid life in this story of one woman stepping out in faith to pursue her purpose. This memorable tale of love—love for self, love for others, and love for the land—will expand in your heart just as the ripples from a boat’s passage touch every secret corner of the bayou.”
“Nancy Dorman-Hickson, coauthor of the award-winning Diplomacy and Diamonds and a former editor for Progressive Farmer and Southern Living magazines “This compelling novel has a bit of everything: self-exploration, a sense of adventure, and fascinating characters. Valerie Fraser Luesse brings the beauty and mystery of the bayou to life as Ellie finds her home in more ways than one.”
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