A shell is a hard object-tough. It can withstand the ocean's pounding for long stretches of time. A shell is also cupped. It can hold tender things, protect them and allow them to grow. Meet Rae Green, a thirty-something woman who has made a few mistakes and doesn't flinch from acknowledging them. She's a tough cookie with a good heart, and she's just been handed her sister's kids. Three parts love, two parts grit - Love on a Half Shell by debut novelist Elvy Howard is the perfect recipe to save a family.