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The Gulf of Lions
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Expected 19 May 26Win a free print copy of this book!
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25 copies available
U.S. only
From the acclaimed author of Pete and Alice in Maine, comes a standalone and evocative sequel about a mother who, recovering from the trauma of breast cancer and a mastectomy, takes a once-in-a-lifetime trip across France with her two daughters, determined to fully live. There, she finds herself newly awakened by beauty and desire but when the trip takes a turn for the worst, she must decide between a life of pleasure or the deep tethering of family.
Reconciling with her husband after a betrayal and recovering from a yearlong battle with breast cancer, Alice longs for an escape from the trials of everyday life. When the opportunity arises for a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip across France, she packs up her daughters, hoping it’s the new start she so desperately needs.
Alice, teenage Sophie, and young Iris begin their odyssey in the French Alps, entering a foreign world they did not know existed: beautiful people, luscious food, and sensual temptations. It’s a freeing experience—exploring the countryside, sleeping beneath the stars, reveling in the sights and scents of nature. For the first time since her diagnosis, Alice starts to feel alive, less afraid of dying, and less angry about her husband's affair.
But as the family continues south, traveling through Provence, where they camp on the Gulf of Lions, an area of the Mediterranean known for wild, roaring winds and purple fields of lavender, they start to unravel the yarn that binds them together. By the time they head to the charred Pyrenees, and then back across France to stay in a castle that sits on the confluence of two rivers, Alice worries that the trip might have been a disastrous and reckless mistake.
A beautiful meditation on womanhood, personhood, exploration, survival and sexual awakenings, The Gulf of Lions is a breathtaking and emotionally resonant story that plumbs the eternal question: What, in the end, will keep a family from falling apart?
Reconciling with her husband after a betrayal and recovering from a yearlong battle with breast cancer, Alice longs for an escape from the trials of everyday life. When the opportunity arises for a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip across France, she packs up her daughters, hoping it’s the new start she so desperately needs.
Alice, teenage Sophie, and young Iris begin their odyssey in the French Alps, entering a foreign world they did not know existed: beautiful people, luscious food, and sensual temptations. It’s a freeing experience—exploring the countryside, sleeping beneath the stars, reveling in the sights and scents of nature. For the first time since her diagnosis, Alice starts to feel alive, less afraid of dying, and less angry about her husband's affair.
But as the family continues south, traveling through Provence, where they camp on the Gulf of Lions, an area of the Mediterranean known for wild, roaring winds and purple fields of lavender, they start to unravel the yarn that binds them together. By the time they head to the charred Pyrenees, and then back across France to stay in a castle that sits on the confluence of two rivers, Alice worries that the trip might have been a disastrous and reckless mistake.
A beautiful meditation on womanhood, personhood, exploration, survival and sexual awakenings, The Gulf of Lions is a breathtaking and emotionally resonant story that plumbs the eternal question: What, in the end, will keep a family from falling apart?
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 19, 2026
About the author
Caitlin Shetterly
7 books158 followersCaitlin Shetterly is a frequent contributor to National Public Radio where she reports on arts and culture, food, and lifestyle. She can be heard on both All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. For Weekend Edition, she created a series of autobiographical audio diaries about the Recession under the title Diary of a Recession. These diaries, along with her blog, Passage West, inspired her memoir Made For You and Me: Going West, Going Broke, Finding Home (Voice, March 8, 2011).
Caitlin's first book, Fault Lines: Stories of Divorce, was published by the Putnam Berkley Group in 2001. For several years, she wrote a bimonthly column, "Bramhall Square," about relationships and love for the Portland Phoenix.
Caitlin is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Winter Harbor Theatre Company, where she produces and directs works that attempt to tackle the important issues of our time. Caitlin graduated with Honors in English and American Literature from Brown University. She lives with her husband, photographer Daniel E. Davis, their young son, and their salty dog, Hopper. When she isn't writing, directing plays, producing radio pieces, cooking, cleaning or childrearing, Caitlin spends as much time as possible reading, watching "Friday Night Lights" and, especially, walking outside in nature.
Caitlin's first book, Fault Lines: Stories of Divorce, was published by the Putnam Berkley Group in 2001. For several years, she wrote a bimonthly column, "Bramhall Square," about relationships and love for the Portland Phoenix.
Caitlin is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Winter Harbor Theatre Company, where she produces and directs works that attempt to tackle the important issues of our time. Caitlin graduated with Honors in English and American Literature from Brown University. She lives with her husband, photographer Daniel E. Davis, their young son, and their salty dog, Hopper. When she isn't writing, directing plays, producing radio pieces, cooking, cleaning or childrearing, Caitlin spends as much time as possible reading, watching "Friday Night Lights" and, especially, walking outside in nature.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 8, 2026
A huge fan of Caitlin’s first novel, Pete and Alice in Maine, I was thrilled to read an advanced copy of The Gulf of Lions.
With her signature lyrical writing and characters so vivid, I was swept away from page one and couldn’t put this one down.
Alice is recovering from breast cancer and decides to take her two daughters, Iris and Sophie on a trip to France. Part adventure, part work-the adventure takes them camping in the Alps to Provence, then to the Pyrenees, the Dordogne River Valley, and finally to Lyon.
What unfolds is a story of adventure, determination, secret loves, endurance, inspiration, loneliness, heartbreak, plus a love letter to the region’s culture and food.
At the core, this is the remarkable story of a mother, wife, friend and the resilience of life.
A must-read (pub date 5/2026)
With her signature lyrical writing and characters so vivid, I was swept away from page one and couldn’t put this one down.
Alice is recovering from breast cancer and decides to take her two daughters, Iris and Sophie on a trip to France. Part adventure, part work-the adventure takes them camping in the Alps to Provence, then to the Pyrenees, the Dordogne River Valley, and finally to Lyon.
What unfolds is a story of adventure, determination, secret loves, endurance, inspiration, loneliness, heartbreak, plus a love letter to the region’s culture and food.
At the core, this is the remarkable story of a mother, wife, friend and the resilience of life.
A must-read (pub date 5/2026)
April 2, 2026
It’s so confusing sometimes to be a girl 🥲
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Caitlin Shetterly’s The Gulf of Lions really said “let’s take a healing journey” and then proceeded to emotionally dismantle me somewhere between lavender fields, salt air, and decisions that feel a little too human to judge.
Published by Harper—huge thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy because clearly I needed to sit on my patio with a latte in hand and spiral gently before heading into my day.
This is one of those books that doesn’t demand your attention with big twists or dramatic reveals—it earns it quietly, line by line, emotion by emotion. Alice is coming out the other side of breast cancer, but “survival” doesn’t magically hand you your life back the way people think it does. Add in a husband whose betrayal still lingers like an echo she can’t quite shake, and suddenly this trip across France with her daughters, Sophie and Iris, isn’t just a getaway—it’s a grasp at something. Control. Freedom. Maybe even forgiveness.
And listen… on the surface, it’s stunning. The Alps, Provence, the Gulf of Lions, food that feels like poetry, landscapes that practically beg to be romanticized. But underneath all that beauty? There’s tension humming constantly. Conversations that almost happen. Feelings that don’t quite land. The kind of emotional undercurrent that makes everything feel just slightly off-balance, like you’re waiting for something to crack.
What really got me was the mother-daughter dynamic. It’s not softened or idealized—it’s real. Sophie and Iris aren’t just side characters orbiting Alice’s story; they’re reacting to her, pushing against her, needing things from her that she’s not always equipped to give. And Alice herself? She’s complicated in the most honest way. Not always likable, not always right—but deeply understandable. She’s grieving versions of herself she’s lost, trying to reconnect with the ones that still feel possible, and occasionally making choices that feel reckless simply because they remind her she’s alive.
“There are versions of me I don’t recognize anymore.”
That line didn’t just land—it lingered. Because this book understands something a little uncomfortable: healing isn’t clean. It’s not a straight line, it’s not always noble, and it definitely doesn’t look the same for everyone.
And the audiobook? Imani Jade Powers brings this quiet, introspective depth to Alice that feels almost too intimate at times—in the best way. It’s like being inside someone’s thoughts while they’re still trying to make sense of them. The pacing, the tone, the emotional restraint—it all works together to pull you in slowly until you realize you’re fully invested and slightly unwell about it. Highly recommend if you’re someone who likes your stories to feel lived-in rather than performed.
This isn’t a fast read, and it’s not trying to be. It’s reflective, character-driven, and deeply rooted in internal conflict rather than external drama. If you’re a reader who loves literary fiction that leans into emotional nuance, complicated family dynamics, and the quiet question of “what now?” after life changes you—this is absolutely your lane. If you need constant action or tidy resolutions, this might feel too slow. But if you’re willing to sit with it? It gives a lot back.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
It’s immersive, beautifully written, and just uncomfortable enough to feel true. The kind of book that doesn’t wrap things up with a bow, but instead leaves you sitting with your thoughts a little longer than expected—and honestly, I respect that.
So tell me—are you drawn to books that gently help you put yourself back together… or the ones that quietly take you apart first and trust you to figure it out?
#TheGulfOfLions #CaitlinShetterly #HarperBooks #BookReview #CurrentlyReading #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #LiteraryFiction #WomenInFiction #EmotionalReads #MotherhoodStories #HealingJourney #HealingThroughBooks #AudiobookLife #ImaniJadePowers #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLovers #SpringReads #CozyReading #BooksAndCoffee #ReadMoreBooks #BookishLife #AdvancedReaderCopy #ARCReads #2026Books
Published by Harper—huge thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy because clearly I needed to sit on my patio with a latte in hand and spiral gently before heading into my day.
This is one of those books that doesn’t demand your attention with big twists or dramatic reveals—it earns it quietly, line by line, emotion by emotion. Alice is coming out the other side of breast cancer, but “survival” doesn’t magically hand you your life back the way people think it does. Add in a husband whose betrayal still lingers like an echo she can’t quite shake, and suddenly this trip across France with her daughters, Sophie and Iris, isn’t just a getaway—it’s a grasp at something. Control. Freedom. Maybe even forgiveness.
And listen… on the surface, it’s stunning. The Alps, Provence, the Gulf of Lions, food that feels like poetry, landscapes that practically beg to be romanticized. But underneath all that beauty? There’s tension humming constantly. Conversations that almost happen. Feelings that don’t quite land. The kind of emotional undercurrent that makes everything feel just slightly off-balance, like you’re waiting for something to crack.
What really got me was the mother-daughter dynamic. It’s not softened or idealized—it’s real. Sophie and Iris aren’t just side characters orbiting Alice’s story; they’re reacting to her, pushing against her, needing things from her that she’s not always equipped to give. And Alice herself? She’s complicated in the most honest way. Not always likable, not always right—but deeply understandable. She’s grieving versions of herself she’s lost, trying to reconnect with the ones that still feel possible, and occasionally making choices that feel reckless simply because they remind her she’s alive.
“There are versions of me I don’t recognize anymore.”
That line didn’t just land—it lingered. Because this book understands something a little uncomfortable: healing isn’t clean. It’s not a straight line, it’s not always noble, and it definitely doesn’t look the same for everyone.
And the audiobook? Imani Jade Powers brings this quiet, introspective depth to Alice that feels almost too intimate at times—in the best way. It’s like being inside someone’s thoughts while they’re still trying to make sense of them. The pacing, the tone, the emotional restraint—it all works together to pull you in slowly until you realize you’re fully invested and slightly unwell about it. Highly recommend if you’re someone who likes your stories to feel lived-in rather than performed.
This isn’t a fast read, and it’s not trying to be. It’s reflective, character-driven, and deeply rooted in internal conflict rather than external drama. If you’re a reader who loves literary fiction that leans into emotional nuance, complicated family dynamics, and the quiet question of “what now?” after life changes you—this is absolutely your lane. If you need constant action or tidy resolutions, this might feel too slow. But if you’re willing to sit with it? It gives a lot back.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
It’s immersive, beautifully written, and just uncomfortable enough to feel true. The kind of book that doesn’t wrap things up with a bow, but instead leaves you sitting with your thoughts a little longer than expected—and honestly, I respect that.
So tell me—are you drawn to books that gently help you put yourself back together… or the ones that quietly take you apart first and trust you to figure it out?
#TheGulfOfLions #CaitlinShetterly #HarperBooks #BookReview #CurrentlyReading #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #LiteraryFiction #WomenInFiction #EmotionalReads #MotherhoodStories #HealingJourney #HealingThroughBooks #AudiobookLife #ImaniJadePowers #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLovers #SpringReads #CozyReading #BooksAndCoffee #ReadMoreBooks #BookishLife #AdvancedReaderCopy #ARCReads #2026Books
Review of advance copy
Reeling from her husband’s infidelity and still processing her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, Alice secures an assignment to write about camping across France with her daughters--an opportunity she seizes as a chance for renewal and recovery. Her young daughters, Sophie and Iris, are skeptical but game; her husband, Pete, is supportive but also unhappy to be left behind. On her own in France, Alice meets a variety of locals, who house and feed her and the girls and show her another way of living. Alice recognizes herself for the first time in many months, though her memories of illness and marital discord are never far away.
When Alice meets Didier, a handsome Frenchman, she believes she has found a chance for happiness; he, along with gorgeous food and the beautiful countryside, allow her a peace she has sought for too long. But when Sophie meets a young riding instructor, the idyll of the trip crashes apart, and Alice must reenvision--again--what she wants her life to be. Life happens fast; nothing is forever. Alice and her family will emerge from France forever changed.
***Review originally written for the City Book Review. I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
***The author's note at the beginning of this ARC was surprising, and, since I read it after I finished the novel, made me rethink the entire book (in a good way).***
When Alice meets Didier, a handsome Frenchman, she believes she has found a chance for happiness; he, along with gorgeous food and the beautiful countryside, allow her a peace she has sought for too long. But when Sophie meets a young riding instructor, the idyll of the trip crashes apart, and Alice must reenvision--again--what she wants her life to be. Life happens fast; nothing is forever. Alice and her family will emerge from France forever changed.
***Review originally written for the City Book Review. I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
***The author's note at the beginning of this ARC was surprising, and, since I read it after I finished the novel, made me rethink the entire book (in a good way).***
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This novel felt really different from what I usually read, but it completely pulled me in! The Gulf of Lions is quiet and emotional, but in a way that just sticks with you. Alice’s journey coming out of breast cancer and dealing with her husband’s betrayal, and you can feel how desperate she is to feel like herself again. The trip across France with her daughters sounds dreamy at first, but there’s this underlying tension the whole time. It’s not just a healing trip…it’s messy, complicated, and sometimes uncomfortable. I really liked the mother daughter dynamics. It felt very real and not sugarcoated. It’s not a fast paced read, but it’s immersive and beautifully written. Definitely more of a reflective, character driven story. If you like emotional and layered books about family and starting over, this one is definitely worth it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An immersive novel that explores life themes with characters who are relatable given the strong character development. Conversations and thoughts were believable and understandable. I enjoyed this one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love novels set in France and there was evidence that the author has spent time there, but some scenarios struck me as improbable. Why the campground owners would take such an interest in her in the middle of high season was never explained. Otherwise it was an easy and fast read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Loved this one. I highlighted so many passages, and the last 20% I never saw coming. It was so beautifully done. Full review to follow.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“Caitlin Shetterly takes us on a trip through France where we inhale the scenery, the café au lait and croissants, and the emotional journey of a travel writer as she tries to both heal and forgive. This book is a five-star read. I guarantee you’ll love it.” Elin Hilderbrand
I concur, Elin, and I will also try to adequately describe a novel I believe will be my Best Book of 2026. The author's foreword stopped me in my tracks. Six months after turning in this novel to her editor, Ms. Shetterly received the very same diagnosis as her main character, connecting them forever. This follow-up to Pete and Alice in Maine stands triumphantly on its own as a love letter to the fragile filament of connection we have to our loved ones and to ourselves.
During her breast cancer treatment and in the shadow of her husband’s infidelity, Alice travels in her imagination back to France. She writes a newsletter as a coping mechanism, which leads to a job to write an article for a travel magazine, so she packs up her daughters for a camping adventure in the French countryside. The tenuous nature of a new freedom while living under the cloud of a recurrence is complicated by her husband Pete’s betrayal and the resulting separation. Iris (8) and Sophie (14) create their own drama as the relationship with their parents and with each other evolves in completely relatable ways. Told from multiple points of view, each character in the novel is desperate for a new start while being tethered to the past, and how they navigate the journey of healing and of hope is the book’s crowning achievement.
Every single sense of France, the food, the landscape, and the people, created an evocative reading experience, and Ms. Shetterly artfully and subtly ties the narrative back to the family’s home in Maine with a welcomed cadence.
The push and pull of security versus freedom, past versus future, and disdain versus admiration expands the plot and brings it to life.
If you share my deep affection for the writings of Elizabeth Strout and Alice Elliot Dark, The Gulf of Lions may also feel like it’s a title written just for you!
Thank you Harper Books for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.
I concur, Elin, and I will also try to adequately describe a novel I believe will be my Best Book of 2026. The author's foreword stopped me in my tracks. Six months after turning in this novel to her editor, Ms. Shetterly received the very same diagnosis as her main character, connecting them forever. This follow-up to Pete and Alice in Maine stands triumphantly on its own as a love letter to the fragile filament of connection we have to our loved ones and to ourselves.
During her breast cancer treatment and in the shadow of her husband’s infidelity, Alice travels in her imagination back to France. She writes a newsletter as a coping mechanism, which leads to a job to write an article for a travel magazine, so she packs up her daughters for a camping adventure in the French countryside. The tenuous nature of a new freedom while living under the cloud of a recurrence is complicated by her husband Pete’s betrayal and the resulting separation. Iris (8) and Sophie (14) create their own drama as the relationship with their parents and with each other evolves in completely relatable ways. Told from multiple points of view, each character in the novel is desperate for a new start while being tethered to the past, and how they navigate the journey of healing and of hope is the book’s crowning achievement.
Every single sense of France, the food, the landscape, and the people, created an evocative reading experience, and Ms. Shetterly artfully and subtly ties the narrative back to the family’s home in Maine with a welcomed cadence.
The push and pull of security versus freedom, past versus future, and disdain versus admiration expands the plot and brings it to life.
If you share my deep affection for the writings of Elizabeth Strout and Alice Elliot Dark, The Gulf of Lions may also feel like it’s a title written just for you!
Thank you Harper Books for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews