The Pelican Tide

I just finished The Pelican Tide by Sharon J. Wishnow - audiobook -
Narrated by Sophie Amoss; Joe Knezevich.

Josie Babineaux has been paying off her husband's gambling debts for months. It was the final straw that broke their marriage but things are looking up. Tourist season is ramping up and her interview in a travel magazine will bring in more business. Hopefully they can pull their little cajun restaurant back from the brink.

Her relationship with her daughter, Minnow, is fractured especially as she doesn't know the real reason she left her dad.

No one could have predicted an explosion on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico and all Josie's plans are shattered in an instant. Not only is her business now in shambles, the pelican who lives under the restaurant deck is now in danger too. Can Josie reconcile her family and save their restaurant? So much is on the line and everything seems hopeless.

Narration was good, I felt very connected to the story.

Josie is the epitome of a doormat in her marriage. She is taking all the blame for her husband's mistakes and it is ruining her family. I could feel what it was putting her through but I also understand why she took the blame. I am not sure I would have accepted being the bad guy for this but she is a better person than me. I get gambling is an addiction but not facing it as a family at the beginning just made things worse.

I loved the pelican mascot! I thought the whole story was so well done. I cannot imagine how much devastation something like that could impact not just the sealife but also all the people who live right on the coast. The smell, the tainted seafood, the loss of revenue from tourists.... It's a huge problem that takes years to fix. I loved how Josie came up with a new way to fix her finances.

It was a book full of determination, a whole lot of family drama. It was really impactful and a great read.

4.5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my gifted copy