When Ellie Fields accepts a teaching job in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country in 1949, she knows her life will change—but she could never imagine just how dramatically.

Though rightfully suspicious of outsiders, who have threatened both their language and their unique culture, most of the residents come to appreciate the young and idealistic schoolteacher, and she’s soon teaching just about everyone, despite opposition from both the school board and a politician with ulterior motives.

Yet it’s the lessons Ellie herself will learn—from new friends, a captivating Cajun fisherman, and even a legendary white alligator haunting the bayou—that will make all the difference.

Take a step away from the familiar and enter the shadowy waters of bayou country for a story of risk, resilience, and romance.

"Come spend a few hours in Bernadette, Louisiana. You might find you don't want to leave! I know I didn't."—Lynette Eason, bestselling, award-winning author of the Danger Never Sleeps series