New Orleans journalist Maggie McBride is fired from her job one hot summer afternoon for no apparent reason except being over fifty. As she struggles with her anger and tries to figure out her next move, a devastating hurricane threatens the city. In its aftermath, both she and her longtime housekeeper and friend Eloise Jackson must deal with unexpected tragedies and a world they never anticipated in their worst nightmares. The New Normal deals with issues of racial discrimination, loss, betrayal, faith, and love.