The Pearl Farmers

Three sisters.

Three distinct lives.

A shared legacy they can no longer ignore.

COMING NOVEMBER 3, 2026

Pre-order now:

About the book

A layered, multigenerational family novel about three sisters carrying on the legacy of their family’s pearl farm in small-town Tennessee.

Three estranged sisters—Helen, Anna, and Penn Lockshire—are bound by the shimmering but fragile legacy of their family’s freshwater pearl farm in rural Tennessee. When the business that once made them famous faces collapse, the sisters are pulled back into each other’s lives and forced to reckon with old betrayals, unspoken resentments, and the complicated truth of their inheritance.

Soon, what began as a fight for survival becomes a reckoning with the myths that shaped them and the secrets buried in the family’s past.From the discovery of a rare pearl in 1981 to the struggles of a failing farm in 2008, the Lockshire sisters must navigate love, loss, ambition, and forgiveness to decide whether their heritage is a blessing to preserve—or a burden to escape.

Rich with emotional depth and anchored by the pearl’s enduring symbolism—a thing of beauty born from irritation—this sweeping story of family, identity, and resilience will captivate readers of Celeste Ng, Ann Patchett, and Claire Lombardo.

READ EXCERPT

Themes & tropes

Multigenerational family
Sister dynamics
Small-town life
Southern stories
Family secrets
Forgiveness and healing
Myths that shape us

Meet the Lockshire sisters

Helen

Pragmatic, ambitious, and talented at business, the eldest Lockshire sister is shouldering the burden of their family's family business and precious legacy while postponing her own life.

When the farm's biggest customer pulls out, Helen finds herself at a crossroads: should she walk away from the family business and pursue her own dreams, or continue pushing to reinvent the business and fulfill her sense of duty?

One thing she knows in her heart: whatever she does, she doesn't want to do it alone—and pulling her wayward sisters back together is the key to her success and happiness.

"Elegant, cream-colored,

and almost perfectly round: the eldest sister. Lovely and perfect."

Anna

Middle sister Anna grew up feeling like the family black sheep—lacking Helen's drive and Penn's talent, she grew distant from her family and their dream during her rebellious teenage years.

Now a single mom who's spent two years recovering from a devastating divorce, she's taken a new job with a new civic organization aimed at revitalizing her hometown. For the first time in her life, Anna feels valued and important.

As she struggles to rebuild her self-esteem and overcome working-mom guilt, two central figures in her life reappear: her ex-husband Bran and her estranged younger sister Penn. As Anna gets drawn into her employer's ventures, she must decide where her loyalties lie and make peace with her position in the family.

"The middle sister: an oval, orange-copper pearl with a sheen. A little outrageous. Not for everyone, but lovable.

Penn

The youngest daughter who kickstarted her parents’ magnificent luck when she discovered a record-setting natural pearl in the lake as a child, Penn now fights creative burnout as she tries to finish her graduate program and an independent film in New York City.

Estranged from her family, Penn pours all her energy and emotion into her art while fumbling her relationship with live-in boyfriend Daron and an affair with a married film professor.

When a tragedy sends Penn spiraling into paralyzing depression, Helen sees an opening to reconnect with her youngest sister and encourage her to return to Tennessee temporarily— hoping Penn’s artistic talent and trademark luck might give a shot in the arm to the business.

"And the youngest: a bluish-violet keshi with silver streaks. Imperfect, unexpected, and wild—pure nature."

"The middle sister: an oval, orange-copper pearl with a sheen. A little outrageous. Not for everyone, but lovable. "

"Elegant, cream-colored,

and almost perfectly round: the eldest sister. Lovely

and perfect."

Awards

Best Adult Fiction – San Francisco Writers Conference 2025

Reviews

“The Pearl Farmers was such a satisfying read . . . It’s an uplifting tale that resonates in these times.” – Ann Bancroft, author of Almost Family

Kudos

Events

Book readings and release events - coming soon

Stacey Gordon, author