As I sat and mused over the book, still holding it in my hand, my daughter asked me, are you crying? No, I said, just thinking....and this is definitely one of those books that leaves you with lots of thoughts to process.
First, I have to say, I absolutely loved this book. Valerie Fraser Luesse has a talent with words. Her gift is bringing faraway times and places, sights, tastes, and smells, to life, right there in front of you.
This story left me oh so hungry--hungry for that delicious Cajun food, hungry for the beautiful, lush sights of that southern Louisiana bayou.
I just loved Ellie. Such a strong, yet sweet heroine. Determined, real, a gal that I'd want to have as a friend.
I loved her story. Seeing the bayou through her eyes. Getting to know that beautiful land, the charming culture, and so much more.
This is a story of finding one's self. Of love, family, friendship, and belonging.
Mixed in with the Cajun culture, there is also a hint of mystery, of politics, and of darkness.
Ms. Luesse has done such a fabulous job of weaving hope into this story line.
I was sad when I realized I'd read the final pages. This is a story that I will definitely be reading again, characters that I will have a hard time leaving in the book, because they will stay with me for a very long time.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

This book reads like velvet. Magical descriptions of the Louisiana Bayou, its creatures, moods, “night sounds cloaked in darkness to the louder daytime chatter.” Wonderful characters inhabit the pages and the spirit of community speaks to the reader throughout. There is a secluded spot reserved for quiet thinking where a man could “come to a decision about a thing.” There is a man who knows this spot and knows the perfect time to share it and L’esprit Blanc. This man and the woman he loves and who loves him equally speak to us through the good and sometimes evil times and happenings in the Bayou in 1947.

This is a beautiful love story between a man and a woman, a child and his uncle, a town and its members.

Thank you NetGalley and Revell

Under the Bayou Moon
by: Valerie Fraser Luesse
Revell Books
Ellie Fields is an independent young teacher from Alabama. She chose the tiny Bayou town of Bernadette, Louisiana as a place to be true to herself in both her womanhood and in her career. Vowing and dreaming to settle for nothing less in her teaching career than purpose, authenticity, and transformation, Ellie drove herself there.
First, however, she stopped for a sight-seeing stop in New Orleans. Luesse provides gorgeous, authentic descriptions of the tastes, sounds, sights, smells, and people of New Orleans as Ellie's journey begins. The sense of place that the author established once Ellie arrived in Bernadette was one of a close knit small community steeped in preservation of its culture, heritage and language. Although Ellie is warmly welcomed by the town doctor and most residents, she quickly learns of political and educational obstacles surrounding the town that threaten the aspirations of both herself and the townspeople.
Luesse is strong in her character development, and Ellie meets a lonely fisherman named Raphe who has experienced overwhelming loss in his life. He also cares for his nephew, the endearing little boy Remy.. As Ellie settles in, she is not afraid to live in a cabin alone in the bayou, although she has questions about the legendary white alligator that she hears so much about. Ellie is a woman of strength, loyalty, and character who wants more for her students than previous teachers have given them. As troubling events unfold, she maintains her own integrity and as well as respect for her new beloved Louisiana home.
As a retired educator, I cheered for Ellie as she endeavored to maintain her own principles and allow her pupils to proudly and safely preserve their rich culture and identity as part of her teaching.
Thank you to Net Galley and Revell Books for the advance reader's copy of Under the Bayou Moon and the opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#UndertheBayouMoon #NetGalley

I first noticed Valerie Fraser Luesse when she published her debut 3 years ago since we share a first name. Her love of the South is obvious in her writing.

This novel, set in the Louisiana bayou of 1949, immersed me in its time and place. I could see the Spanish moss hanging from cypress trees, hear the rich sounds of nature, and taste the delicious food. Not since Where the Crawdads Sing have I been so fully transported to the coastal South via a book.

The novel illustrates several themes told through wonderful characters, including the value of preserving one's heritage, the importance of education for all, and that home is where people love and respect you. I also appreciated learning about Cajun history and culture.

Thank you to Revell Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy; all thoughts are my own.

I had a hard time getting into another book that I was reading, so I decided to pick this one up knowing that it needed to be read soon. I could NOT put the book down! Oh My Word! I feel like the author must have looked into my family tree when writing these characters in South Louisiana. Heck, even one of the characters had the same last name as people in my family tree. I guess this is what happens when an author writes about the Cajun culture with which I am somewhat familiar...but even I learned a few things.

This story takes us back to the late 40s in a small town where poverty runs rampant but the sense of community is humbling. These people looked out for each other and while it might be hard to give their trust to you, once you have earned it there is no looking back. The camaraderie is what we should all try to achieve in our own lives.

Ellie accepted a teaching position in this small town and she is exactly what they need to educate their children and breathe life into this sleepy little town. From the moment she arrives, she wants nothing more than to foster a positive environment for the children because word is that the previous teachers were not kind. All because one man didn't want French to be spoken by anyone, mostly because he couldn't speak it and didn't know what they were saying. But you can't stamp out heritage and embracing the dual languages can only be a good thing. But that was then and this is now and the mindset was very different.

Even though Ellie is there to teach the children, she finds love with Raphe, a local man that is raising his nephew. Their journey together is beautiful and reminds us that you can find love if you only take the chance.

Perhaps one of my favorite characters is Heywood. Ellie first meets him in New Orleans by chance, but they form a fast friendship that spans the years. Heywood has his own issues by believing he won't live to see his 30th birthday. I liked how Ellie brought all of this into perspective for him and encouraged him to see a different path for his life.

This tiny town has its share of tragedies that might have brought another community to its knees. Not this town. They rallied around each other and found solutions that worked for everyone. I liked that they did not discriminate based on color or religion.

I loved every bit of this book and highly recommend it to everyone. We give it 5 paws up.

Tender is the best word I can think of to describe this excellent novel. Under the Bayou Moon is a tale of beauty, love, and acceptance. The characters are unique, the setting wild and exotic, and the plot slow and easy, a pace readers will appreciate as they will want to linger in the bayou.

I give this novel five stars, and am so grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I really enjoyed this read, from beginning to end it was a breath of fresh air to keep turning the pages.

A young woman is coming to teach these poor children who have been traumatized by previous teachers, and we get to watch as Ellie puts herself out there. There is the love of a child, of a community, and a love for their fellowman, and it flows from individual to another.

The banter is at times laugh out loud and the, and the caring is so heartwarming!

Be sure to read the epilogue, we are gifted!

I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

4.25/5⭐️

I had read one other book by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. So glad I read this one as well, which was set in the 1949 bayous of the Atchafalaya River.

Ellie Fields, a young school teacher from a tiny town in Alabama who yearns to make a difference, arrives to teach in a tiny Cajun community. We follow her as she encounters prejudice toward these French-speaking natives, meets an amazing community of open-hearted folks (including the love of her life) and falls deeply in love with the physical as well as the cultural beauty of the waterways. The descriptions of the area were so vivid and real that I fell in love as well.

There are bad guys, including a greedy, corrupt and bigoted senator and his henchmen, but it’s the sweet, caring and generous Cajun community that are the stars here. And on a personal note, I loved the epilogue of future glimpses of these characters…something that the reader doesn’t often get.

Great story, and I look forward to more from this author.

My sincere thanks to #NetGalley and #Revell for providing me the free early arc of #UnderTheBayouMoon for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Under the Bayou Moon by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Ellie Fields, a young, determined teacher leaves her home and family in Alabama and heads for Bernadette, Louisiana for a position that no one else wants. During her tenure there, she confronts prejudice against the Cajun students she teaches, as well as their families. In standing up for her children, she becomes a beloved member of the community. But unanticipated danger finds her and those she loves in this small town.

The author introduces readers to a place that is easy to fall in love with. I was captivated by her rich descriptions of the bayou and the mystery of the L’ esprit Blanc, the white alligator. The characters were also charming and easy to love. Ellie, Raphe, Remy, Doc, and Heywood welcomed me into their world.

Although some of the challenges faced by the characters were too quickly resolved in my opinion, like Remy feeling wanted by Raphe and Ellie, the plot moved along nicely, and kept my attention. I especially enjoyed the part that the white alligator played. The epilogue was a bonus that I unquestionably enjoyed.

Readers wanting to be transported to a new part of the world will enjoy this story. I am grateful to the publisher and author for a free copy of this book in exchange for this, my honest review.

Under the Bayou Moon is a very well written book. Great plot and character dynamics along with the Louisiana bayou setting made this a fantastic book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

I was mesmerized by this fascinating novel from the prologue—as a twelve foot, massive white alligator with piercing sapphire eyes slithers his way through the cane in mysterious Louisiana bayou country! The beautiful dense bayou—"lit with shades of green from deep ivy to bright chartreuse—as algae, lily pads, and water hyacinth spread over them and ancient cypress trees with Spanish moss hanging like the lace-gloved fingers of a Louisiana debutante." Of course, I immediately googled white alligators because if there was such a thing I certainly wanted to see it! Just not up close and personal. lol

The characters are easy to love and I enjoyed the easy, humorous banter and affection between them. This is one of the 1st books I've read in quite some time where the hero/heroine are not embittered by their pasts. Troubled perhaps, but not enough to let it affect their treatment of others. I felt the romance was a bit rushed and there wasn't much of a spiritual thread, but 'Under the Bayou Moon' is beautifully written and researched, magnificently descriptive—and intensely riveting!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own and I received no monetary compensation.*

This was a quick easy enjoyable read with a little bit of romance. We follow Ellie/Juliet as she comes into her own as a teacher in a small town in Louisiana. The descriptions of life on the Bayou were done very well. Ellie’s love for her students and the others in this small community was very uplifting.
I received an ARC from Revell along with NetGalley for my honest review. This one comes in with 4 stars.

Ellie Fields leaves Alabama to accept a teaching position in a very small Louisiana town deep in bayou country called Bernadette.
Although the people in this area have been suspicious of outsiders because their language and culture have been threatened they grow to like and appreciate Elle.
This novel was quite enjoyable as there’s a little bit of everything in it .
There’s an infamous big white alligator that haunts the waters, there is dirty politics , Romance, arson , culture of the area and so much more.
This was quite an enjoyable novel and bonus points because I learned A lot about the whole Biyu area it’s people and it’s origins.

“Some things belonged right where they were.”

Full of gorgeous literary descriptions, Under the Bayou Moon is a beautiful, immersive, slow-moving float through the Louisiana waters. Under the moss-filtered branches, sunlight illuminates the culture, history, community, and issues of diverse people in the 1940s. Alabama teacher Ellie Fields arrives to Bernadette for a challenging and difficult position. While learning how to teach a large group of fearful and jaded children as well as suspicion of the parents, Ellie searches for the life she wants. State-level interference combined with dangerous political and historical opposition maintain a high level of tension in the poverty-striken community.

This story is as beautiful and gripping as the cover or any landscape photo in Southern Living, which Ms. Luesse regularly lends her talent. Although this was my introduction to the author, I eagerly anticipate more of her writing.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

Beautifully written book set deep in the bayou of southern Louisiana, this novel will open reader's eyes to the Cajun love for their life. Amazing descriptions of the swamp, the people and their homes. Being a native of southern Louisiana, I could almost taste the food. Recommended!

I liked this book but it did not captivate me. It was a good read. I would recommend it to others to also read.

The storyline is fabulous, but it’s the descriptions of the bayou that won me over. I can’t wait to experience nightfall on the Atchafalaya River from a bass boat, complete with the twinkling lights from lanterns and the nocturnal sounds of life all around me. I want to see the “bayous dotted with ancient cypress trees, their Spanish moss hanging like the lace-gloved fingers of a Louisiana debutante” and “swaying like a sild gown in the night breeze.”

Valerie Fraser Luesse’s, “Under The Bayou Moon,” reads like a leisurely pole in a pirogue down the bayou! If the bayou isn’t on your bucket list yet, you’ll be adding it after reading her descriptions of the swamp, gumbo, jambalaya and sweet lemonade, not to mention the loveable people who inhabit this beautiful place in the world.

It’s been marketed as a post WW2 love story set in the bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin, but it’s so much more than that! It’s about a teacher, unhappy with her life in Alabama, accepting a teaching position in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country. In an attempt to heal the beautiful people she lives and works with, she ends up healing herself. This beautiful southern historical fiction is a fabulous read.

Ellie Fields, a restless teacher, has separated herself from everything she’s ever known, her home, family, and job when she takes a chance “living in the middle of a bayou, paddling a boat instead of driving a car, and doing without electricity and running water.” When she arrives in Bernadette, Louisiana, a Cajun fisherman, Raphe Broussard, takes her under his wing. He’s lost everything in a hurricane and is raising his nephew Remy on his own.

You will read about legendary albino alligators who roam the swamp, about greedy people who offer bounty to get the community to turn on each other, and about an oil company who only thinks of money, not people. It becomes obvious why this community is so suspicious of outsiders; they threaten their language, their culture and their very existence.

As a teacher, this story is dear to my heart. History tells us that the “British banned Acadians from Canada because they wouldn’t side with them against the French. Acadian people were put on ships and sent away. Here, nearly 200 years later, they are persecuted because they sound different from the rest” and want to raise their families with remembrance of their culture. Ellie has her work cut out for her; the children need healing before they can learn.

“If the teacher hears you say anything en francais, she’ll yell at you and maybe hit your hand with a ruler and tell the whole class you’re acting un-American.”

“The teacher said we oughta be able to pick it up from hearin’ her read to us and followin’ along in our books, but three of us had to share one, and it was hard to see. I just can’t get the hang of it.”

“It’s strange – you can save your life or lose it just by choosing where to be when the sun rises.”

“Where does love end and selfishness begin? Or could it be possible for one to overcome the other if you loved somebody so much that their happiness was your own?”

Publishes August 3, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Valerie Fraser Luesse, Revell Books, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I do not give a lot of 5 ratings, but this one got one. Hard to put this one down. I also do not usually seek out books of the past (this one is from the late 40s early 50s), but really liked this one. Ellie is a young woman from Alabama, who decides she wants to do something more than just accept the typical expectations of a young woman. She has her teaching degree, and has worked some, but applies and gets hired in a small town in the rural area of Louisiana, about 80 miles from New Orleans. Trying to help the children, who have been traumatized in the past over their use of French, and using a boat to get to and from her cabin to school is a new adventure. Meeting and getting close to Raphe (short for Raphael) and his orphaned nephew are an added bonus. Throw in a white alligator, a crooked politician and you have the makings of a book that is hard to put down. Really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it. All the Cajun foods were making me hungry.

Before reading this novel I didn't know anything about life in the bayou or the Cajuns. The novel painted it lively picture of the nature and the culture with lovable characters. Everybody would like to have a teacher like Ellie and a friend like Heywood.

I reviewed this book for Historical Novels Review Magazine, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. Per their policy, I cannot post the review until after it is posted on the HNS website on August 1st. I will update the review then.