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.
Themes & tropes
-
Multigenerational family
-
Sister dynamics
-
Small-town life
-
Southern stories
-
Family secrets
-
Forgiveness and healing
-
Myths that shape us
Behind the novel
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
Finalist, Family Saga – American Fiction Awards 2026
Reviews
“A textured tale of renewed kinship and self-discovery...[the] layered structure illuminates the characters’ personalities and deftly moves across space and time, but it also tempers the story’s immediacy...Gordon expertly handles her ambitious narrative and sprawling cast...With this engaging narrative, Gordon breathes new life into an old parable: A pearl of great price is not had for the asking. Neither is a loving family." – Kirkus Reviews
“Heart-warming story of sisterhood, purpose, and family legacy...Gordon subtly weaves that tapestry of relationships, detailing the little slights and sufferings that are part and parcel of family life...Gordon evokes the mystique of pearls more than once, giving the novel an almost-otherworldly air, but what lingers beyond the final page is the book’s deep understanding of the nostalgia, responsibility, and purpose that drives family business." – BookLife Reviews
“Came for the unique world of freshwater pearl farming, stayed for the drama of three sisters navigating old hurts, family expectations, and an uncertain future in a small Southern town—and closed the last page deeply satisfied." – KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times best-selling author of The Chicken Sisters
“The Pearl Farmers explores the complexities of family, identity, and obligation ... with luminous prose and unforgettable characters, Gordon draws readers into a world of unexpected beauty, as layered and compelling as the pearls at the heart of this triumphant story." – Bobi Conn, author of Someplace Like Home and A Woman in Time
“I fell in love with Penny, Helen, and Anna, and was pulling for these three sisters to find a way back to each other. The Pearl Farmers is Yellowstone meets Little Women — but with way better jewelry!” – Emma Tourtelot, author of No One You Know
“The Pearl Farmers was such a satisfying read . . . It’s an uplifting tale that resonates in these times.” – Ann Bancroft, author of Almost Family
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a family legacy story well worth the read.”
– Donna Stevenson, Readers' Favorite
Kudos
Events
November 2026
November 3 – The Book Loft, Columbus, OH
November 5 – Books Inc., Alameda, CA
November 7 – Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
November 14 – Landmark Books, Franklin, TN