An excellent ‘modern’ (since the story takes place in the mid-nineteenth century) fairytale and queer reimagining of The Selkie Wife folktale.

This story is fast-pasted and full of drama from almost the first chapter as our main character, Jean the homebody midwife, finds Muirin in labor on the beach near her house. I loved the acceptance of queerness among the people in Jean’s life and the absence of homophobia from anyone that mattered.

I also loved that this book didn’t shy away from the darker aspects of the original folktale—which romanticizes kidnapping and sexual abuse. Instead, Jean realizes what has happened to Muirin, is appropriately horrified and refuses to let that be glossed over, and absolves to rescue her.

Excellent pacing, with some genuinely tense moments, and even if I got frustrated with her at times, it was reasonable that Jean didn’t connect the dots any faster than she did.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A lovely sapphic historical romance with entrancing nods to folklore and village life. I found myself enchanted by this soft, mesmerizing book.

An incredible debut novel blending folk tales of selfies, nautical history, Mi’kmaq traditions in 1830s Nova Scotia, with the painful traditions of homosexuality exclusion from traditional village life. Hiding in plain sight is a woman kidnapped from her family and friends who is forced to wed an irascible man who imprisons and sequesters her and stalks his nearest neighbor putting her, and a somewhat domesticated wild fox in fear for their lives. An edge of the seat retelling for the modern reader.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

I'm not particularly interested in mingled marriage with different love interests. This is usually not the type of books I generally read too.

It's beautiful, it's gothic, it's SAPPHIC!!! It's everything I never knew I needed. The story is rich with folklore and culture, a beautiful work of art.

Supernatural tale that reads like women’s fiction/literature. We spend all our time with Jean, who has rebuilt her young life after a teenage scandal and is now a midwife for the small town where she lives. She doesn’t have family after the death of her father, but has a great native mentor that has advised her through the years and made her a better midwife. Along comes a mysterious bride whose baby Jean delivers, but there’s something not right about her and there’s definitely something less than upstanding about her husband. Loved the tie to nature and the book was somewhat dark with the weather and setting. Truly enjoyed it and finished in the same day.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

God, I loved this book. Jean and Muirin and so good and so perfect individually and together. This was just a fun, easy, sweet read and I really enjoyed it! Jean is incredibly relatable and instantly likable and you can't help but root for her. I do wish she weren't so impulsive but if someone I loved was literally locked up inside a terrible man's house, I would also be pretty reckless trying to rescue them so I get it. I do wish the pacing was a bit better; the middle portion of the book felt at times like it was dragging on for no real purpose and didn't really do a great job of building the suspense for the last portion of the book. Otherwise, I really had a good time reading this book!

I absolutely LOVED this book and read it in one sitting because I just had to unravel the mystery. If anything, this is an even more ringing endorsement for a retelling of a folktale, since I was already familiar with it and thus wasn't surprised by the big reveal (though I'm not sure if you're meant to be, since again, retelling), but I was so invested in the characters and their town that I didn't need a plot twist to keep me hooked. The prose was fantastic without being overbearing, and the prevalence of queer characters (and /some/ accepting parental figures and characters) was a welcome inclusion, though it was tempered with historically accurate homophobia.

Wow! The tale of The Selkie Wife is already very intense but very good. However, this author took this fairytale and created a Sapphic, illuminating, just brilliant retelling. Honestly, I couldn't ask for anything better. This is just brilliant.

Jean, a midwife in the early 1800s in Nova Scotia, meets Muirin and her husband Tobias. After getting to know them, she realizes there is definitely a problem in their relationship.

I really felt the isolation and unsettling feelings that the author created in this book. The characters and the atmosphere were phenomenally done. I really was taking by how much I felt a part of this story through the author's descriptions.

I definitely recommend this!

Out April 9, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this ARC!

Content Warning: homophobia/lesbophobia, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, murder, animal death,

Jean is one of the only midwives for miles around. When she's awoken in the middle of the night -- during a storm -- by a cry of pain, it's instinct that sends her outside. Standing there is a woman she's never seen before, half in the marsh, and to Jean's expert eye, clearly in labor. As Jean helps the woman during and after the birth, it becomes obvious to her that this is the wife of her only neighbor, and that she speaks painfully little English. Doing their best to communicate, Jean finds herself drawn into the mystery of Muirinn's life, put off, for some reason that she can't quite place her finger on, by Muirinn's husband, Tobias. Struggling with her growing feelings for this stranger, Jean gradually discovers that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to her neighbors, and that some secrets are worth killing for.

First and foremost, A Sweet Sting of Salt is perhaps one of the most lushly, gorgeously written books I've had the pleasure of reading in some time. Sutherland is masterly at crafting beautiful sentences, of using words with creativity, but never to the point of making her writing inaccessible or too much. Anyone reviewing this book would be remiss not to mention her talent, and it's obvious to me that she is the type of person who is a natural at what she does. It came as a surprise to me that this was a debut, based on the quality and level of the writing and overall feel of the novel.

Our heroine, Jean, is very likable, feisty but sensible, and although I did like Muirinn as well, I was left with the feeling that we didn't get to know her quite as well. If I was forced to describe her personality, I'd be left sitting a bit blank. She's brave, I suppose, and adventurous, based off of what we hear in the latter half of the book, but beyond that, she struck me as being slightly underdeveloped. Jean fares much better as the narrator of the events taking place, but the relationship between them is rushed. It's perhaps not quite instalove, but something very close to it, and the pacing of their developing interest in each other was a little too quick for my tastes.

In many ways, this book suffers from pacing issues, not only with the relationship between the two main characters. In the beginning everything is happening too fast, and by the middle, too slowly. I think these problems are common for a debut, and while they did lessen my enjoyment some, it wasn't enough to put me off of the book. Most likely, Sutherland's next book will have ironed some of these issues out, so I do advise everyone to take some of the problems I mention here with these elements in mind.

Something else I didn't like was the coincidental nature of the finale. It was a bit unbelievable, even for a book with fantasy elements based off of a folktale. I didn't like how Laurie's story connects with Jean's, and there were times I was inclined to roll my eyes at how perfectly and easily everything seems to pan out for everyone. It's impossible to discuss without spoiling the ending, but that was perhaps the part I liked least. And one more thing I have to mention: the introspection. It's far, far too much. I'm truly surprised that Sutherland's editor didn't catch onto it, and have her cut the majority of it out. It slows the book down considerably, and nearly manages to make it boring.

Overall, I think this is a beautiful book, and most of its problems come with a first time author. Sutherland nonetheless has created something beautiful here, and I can't wait to see what she'll come out with next!

In A Sweet Sting of Salt, we follow Jean, a midwife living on the outskirts of her seaside village as she one night discovers a woman in labor and out in the rain alone. The mother, Muirin, is the foreign wife of Jean’s neighbor Tobias, with many mysteries surrounding her and a seemingly uneasy and relationship with her husband. Jean as a midwife takes it upon herself to look after the mother and child and discovers strange things in the process, while also coming to care for them both.

I really enjoyed this book. I had the barest knowledge of the original folktale but that only made everything more mysterious and engaging.

The book was written in such an engaging way that from the first chapter I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down easily. This is Rose Sutherlands debut and I truly would have never known. The quality in writing was hands down my favorite part. The plot was slower moving at times but it definitely added to the folktale aspect of the book, and I still had such a thrill of wanting to know the full story and seeing how Muirin and Jean would be able to overcome their obstacles.

I appreciated all the little things in this book too. The foxes appearances, Laurie and Dal, Jo as a character in general (loved her), the remote seaside setting, the descriptions of food and scenery, and even the small things Jean did in her day to day tasks that gave the book so much life.

I also really appreciated the nuance of queer relationships through the public’s eye in the somewhat 1800’s. I have read quite a few books recently that create a fantasy that queer people never faced prejudice and queer was normalized. However, I liked seeing the struggles Jean had to face with previously being in a relationship with another woman living in a small rural village, and how that gave her character so much more depth and dimension, and how she was able to find people who accepted her for who she was and gave her the safety to be herself.

Overall this was a stunning debut, and most definitely will not be the only book from Rose Sutherland I pick up. I cannot wait to see what comes next.

I received a digital advance copy of A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland via NetGalley. A Sweet Sting of Salt is scheduled for release on April 9, 2024.

A Sweet Sting of Salt follows Jean, a midwife in 1830’s Nova Scotia. She hears a cry in the night during the middle of the storm and finds a young woman in labor, unable to communicate in English. Jean delivers the woman’s baby, and realizes she must be the new wife of her only neighbor. The man’s interactions with his wife raise worries in Jean, which only grow as she gets to know the stranger and her new baby.

This novel is a queer retelling of The Selkie Wife, a folktale I was not familiar with before reading this novel. Sutherland has captured the feeling of folktale in this story, giving us a mixture of recognizable character types, complicated relationships, and a touch of the magical. While I did figure out the bit of mystery in this novel almost immediately, I still enjoyed following Jean as she worked her way to the truth.

We spend the novel with Jean, and get to know her fairly well. I would have liked the characters around Jean to be a bit more developed. There were characters that Jean had long-standing relationships with that I had trouble keeping track of or understanding as we didn’t get to know as much about them. In particular, the antagonist of the story became a bit of a caricature, as he made choices that felt extreme for what we knew of his character and the world of the story.

Overall, A Sweet Sting of Salt delivered the feel of a folktale laced with more modern themes. It will likely appeal to readers who want the cozy feel of older tales with a touch of mystery.

I know they say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I’ll be honest. The cover is what initially drew me in. Aside from the book description I went into this completely blind. I knew nothing about The Selkie Wife that this book was inspired by. I’m glad I didn’t. It made the whole thing a complete surprise for me.

I was immediately drawn in to this tiny village. The author did a fantastic job with character development, and I found myself rooting for Jean and Muirin. This was a fantastic debut novel. You will want to read this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book has been reviewed on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Hn8_SrtrE/?igsh=MXZ6ZG1kMDQ1cWs1cg==

A Sweet Sting of Salt kept me on my toes throughout the entire story. Based in folklore (one that I wasn't familiar with) it was gothic and mysterious but also oh so captivating.

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction or fantasy-ish books much. And when I do, it usually takes me a while to get into and I drag my feet.

For some reason, this hooked me right from the start. I can’t figure out what about the writing made it easier for me to get caught up in, only that it did.

The synopsis tells you what the story is based upon but I had no prior knowledge of the story and wish I hadn’t looked it up first, only to give it that edge of otherness without knowing the origin.

All in all, a very enjoyable read, one that gives a bit of tension in the middle.

3.75 rounded up
——————

Phew, this book. The Selkie Wife has always fascinated me and I will get my hands on any retelling of it when I get a chance. The historical fiction aspect concerned me, as it isn’t my usual genre, but I’m so happy I gave this book a shot.

The plot on this was really interesting and I loved the sapphic twist on things. The gothic vibes were immaculate and I found myself drawn into the story quickly. The historical element actually made the story more interesting, though some of the language did feel a bit modern. The pacing did feel a little slow in the middle. But overall, the story was strong and the writing was beautiful.

I really enjoyed the characters. Jean and Muirin’s relationship was well developed over time, albeit a bit quickly. I enjoyed watching them go from strangers to friends to lovers over the course of the novel and it was well handled. I found the characters I didn’t enjoy I wasn’t suppose to, which made the novel that much stronger.

This book was well written and engrossing. I spent the entire novel with bated breath to know what would happen next and I was truly satisfied by the ending I got.

When Jean discovers a woman in labor outside during a terrible storm, she helps the woman. Jean is the only midwife around, and yet she has no idea who this woman is. As Jean works to help the woman and the baby, she discovers that not all that it seems and she may be in danger. Can Jean keep them all safe?

genuinely shocked that this is a debut novel, because it is incredible.

we follow Jean, a talented midwife isolated from her townspeople by virtue of A, living in the middle of absolutely nowhere and B, having a terrible reputation that her old best friend's gossipy mom is singlehandedly maintaining. Jean prefers being alone; since the death of her father she's been happy to keep up the house and feed the goats and chickens and look after the land. she's very good at her job, and she's satisfied with that.

her nearest neighbour is someone she's not particularly close with, a fisherman named Tobias. she's aware that he has a new wife but apparently no one has met her yet; rumors abound, but he basically returned from a fishing trip with her on board and told the town that she was from Scotland. when Jean wakes up in the middle of a frenetic storm to find Tobias' very pregnant wife in her yard, she ushers her inside and helps her give birth.

this is Jean and Muirin's first meeting, and far from their last. they meet when Muirin is lost and missing her family and desperate to go home, and Jean is lost and missing her family and desperate to find a home. it was perhaps inevitable, that they should fall in love.

and honestly, the yearning in this book is so clear cut that it was almost painful to read. get you somebody who loves you like Jean loves Muirin because holy shit.

Jean couldn’t have asked her to do anything else.
She held her love in an open hand.

this book made me feel feral in the best possible way. if you've ever read or listened to a selkie story and wished idly for more queer characters, grab this book. if you think the sea is romantic, grab this book. if you wish you lived in 1800's Nova Scotia and could gaze wistfully off your porch into the churning, wine-dark bay ,,,, grab this book. it made my heart overwhelmingly full.


queer rep - sapphic mc, sapphic love interest, side achillean characters, side sapphic character
thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc ✨

Well this novel was a dud for me, unfortunately. From the first few pages, I just knew that it wasn't going in the right direction. The slow pacing, and not understanding where the plot was heading, just left me scratching my head. And having disliked another book about the selfie wife just didn't help the cause for this novel, either.

Furthermore, I didn't like any of the characters. None of them interested me except for Muirin. But her broken language skills didn't help her or the overall story.

Needless to say, I just couldn't continue readsing past 32%. A one star DNF.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.