Stern Men

Stern Men is the debut novel by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the bestselling Eat, Pray, Love.

For generations, two small islands off the coast of Maine have feuded over lobster fishing rights. The men fish, the women tend to the home, and island life follows its own rugged rules. Among the islanders is eighteen-year-old Ruth, who dreams not of college on the mainland, but of continuing her family’s legacy as a fisherwoman.

When she falls in love with a boy from the rival island, she finds herself caught between tradition, loyalty, and the desire for peace. In a world shaped by harsh men and harsher rules, Ruth dares to challenge the status quo and forge her own path.