A cookbook raising money for Cyclone Gabrielle recovery has been pulled from a Hawke’s Bay bookstore after concerns were raised about what the author had been posting on social media.

Wardini Books owners Gareth and Louise Ward now find themselves at the centre of a battle of the culture wars over their decision not to stock Jane Morgan’s book The Dinner Club.

The Wards say they investigated Morgan’s social media profiles after a complaint and found what they believed were anti-trans and anti-Māori views.

They told Hawke’s Bay Today the decision to pull the book wasn’t easy, and they supported Morgan’s intent behind releasing the book, but they didn’t want Wardini to be aligned with her views.

“We had a message to our Facebook page saying that this person had some views that may not align with what you do. We investigated that and found that to be true,” Louise told Hawke’s Bay Today.

She said after researching various feeds and posts, she “quietly and privately” told Morgan via email that they would return the books and refund the money to her to support the cyclone recovery cause.

“We haven’t cancelled anything. I’ve just said politely in an email that it doesn’t really match up with what we do here.

“Content on the X/Twitter feed mentioned us as stockists, but some of the other stuff on there was quite hurtful to other members of our society. The philosophy of our shop is that everybody is welcome, and I didn’t really want us to be aligned with those views.”

Morgan, who goes by the name Dame Jane on X (formerly Twitter), provided meals for displaced families in Hawke’s Bay since Cyclone Gabrielle in February and decided to create a cookbook that recreated some of the dishes served to survivors of the natural disasters.

She’s said that proceeds from sales of The Dinner Club project would go towards cyclone relief in Hawke’s Bay.

“This is sad cos it doesn’t affect me; our cyclone survivors are the people who benefit from the sale of TDC books,” Morgan posted on X on Tuesday, along with the email from Louise, which said people had informed her the profile was “anti-Māori and anti-Trans”.

“It is ‘interesting’ that the owner of Wardini didn’t even discuss it with me, just instant judgement. My Māori Mum would [probably] laugh. I think it’s beyond lame.”

Messages to Morgan from Hawke’s Bay Today on Wednesday went unanswered. On Facebook, she denied being anti-trans or anti-Māori, saying she would “try and sell them somewhere else at a shop where the owners perhaps will engage and talk to me before cancelling me from baseless rumours”.

Several commenters, including right-wing blogger and activist Cameron Slater came to Morgan’s defence on X.

Slater reposted her comment, replying: “What a stink thing to do to some who gave her all to her community.”

But several commenters said they supported Wardini’s decision and pointed out the business’ strong reputation within the Hawke’s Bay community.

The Wards say they’re disappointed at how the situation had played out on social media and would have preferred a private response to the first email, rather than an internet pile-on.

“All we did was make a business decision, and we wish it hadn’t gone the way it has,” Louise said.

“A bookseller has to make choices every day about what you stock and don’t stock. If somebody is upset or offended by something, I have to make a decision as to whether it’s a fair call. There have been books we’ve decided not to stock.”

Gareth said because they were a smaller bookstore - one store in Napier and one in Havelock North - and because the book was local, “our name is being associated just by being alongside it with beliefs we don’t believe to be true.

“I’m a big believer in having a say and having a conversation,” Louise said.

“We’re always learning, all of us. I don’t know what else to say, really. It has just been a real shock.”

Lousie and Gareth said they were directing people to Morgan’s website if they were asked for the book.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the stock of books had yet to be picked up from Wardini but the Wards said they had received an invoice from Morgan and paid her for the ten copies sold.