I am so glad I decided to give A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland a try. This book is described as a reimagining of the Gaelic folktale, The Selkie Wife, as well as fantasy and historical fiction. Admittedly, I did not know much about The Selkie Wife, so I did a bit googling before I settled in. That initial research gave me some insight into what I was delving into, but did not take away from the intrigue of the story.

I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of 19th century Nova Scotia with the compelling characters of Jean, Muirin and Tobias, as well as some lively human and animal side characters. Jean is a local midwife with a complicated past. When Jean encounters Muirin, a laboring woman she has never seen in their small town, standing by the sea, her world is turned upside down. Despite this being a mostly character-driven story, we encounter mystery, suspense, a love story, and queer romance, all within an atmospheric setting. That was enough to keep me turning the pages.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is billed as fantasy, but I felt leaned more within magical realism, which worked well for me since I prefer magical realism over fantasy. If you are looking for a high-fantasy read this might not fit the bill.

Animals play an important role in A Sweet Sting of Salt, which I enjoyed. However, as an animal lover I would like readers to know that there is animal cruelty and death on the page. Additionally, there are trigger warnings for violence, domestic abuse, suicide, and murder.

I recommend A Sweet Sting of Salt for readers who enjoy folklore reimagining, historical fiction, queer romance, a sweet, wistful love story, a strong sense of setting, and a bit of magical realism.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for an ARC of A Sweet Sting of Salt, in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this. Oh boy. The premise of this was so interesting and I was really looking forward to it. It was really hard to get past the first few chapters and I found myself having to reread things. But that could just be a me problem. Sadly, this wasn’t for me.

Fiercely romantic with beautiful prose, A SWEET STING OF SALT is a fresh, sapphic take on the stolen coat selkie myth.

A beautiful sapphic retelling of The Selkie Wife, a historical fiction book set in Nova Scotia in a quiet village. Jean is the town midwife, who lives a bit outside of town. One night it is storming out and she hears someone yelling. She goes to see what is wrong, when she finds a pregnant woman in labor who does not understand her language. She helps the woman through her birth, and tries to learn what is happening in this mysterious woman's life.

This book is not very plot heavy, so it felt like a slow read to me. Regardless, I greatly enjoyed it. It's a slow burn romance, and while there is a bit of societal homophobia, the characters we care for are sweet and accepting. There are a few trigger warnings around behavioral abusive relationships, as well.

I don't now how much of the twists of this were meant to be surprises, as I saw most of them coming. The book was overall enjoyable regardless.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This sapphic retelling of the Selkie Wife was so atmospheric and mysterious! I loved the characters, and the romance was excellent! I had never read a Selkie Wife story before, so it was interesting to dive into how the author retold this myth. The plot was a little slower than I'd like, and it made it a little hard to get into the story. But overall, it was an atmospheric and interesting read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was definitley a ride from start to finish. I knew that it had been marketed to me as a Gothic fantasy novel about selkies, but whew when those Gothic elements kicked in they really kicked in! Not me having to look over my shoulders every five minutes while I was reading. "Violent Stalker Men Lurking in the Background" should be it's own distinct subcategory of horror. It was the perfect, tense backdrop for Jean and Muirin's romance, and as things begin to escalate (and wow did they escalate) I found myself up reading far later than I intended because I literally could not put this book down.

A SWEET STING OF SALT was an amazing debut that blended folklore, historical fiction, mystery, and LBTQTIA+ romance all into one. While the middle did drag pacing and story wise, this book was well done and pretty entertaining.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the writing. To blend so many different genres was a challenge that the author navigated beautifully. What is left is an original story that is full of mystery, love, acceptance, and folklore.

The only downside to me was the middle of the book. This part DRAGGED. The FMC, Jean, becomes almost obsessed in trying to free Mauirin, but that’s about it, the tension is heightened, but in a way that feels like it is too long for the amount of time left in the book. This was the only part where I found myself taken out of the story.

Overall, this was a great debut and a great story with a sapphic love story. This author definitely had a promising future and I can’t wait to read more of what she writes. Maybe skip out though if you really want a fast paced, action driven novel.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was a big fan of folktales and fairy tales growing up. So when I found a retelling of the selkie wife story, with an LGBT twist, naturally, I had to pick it up.

Things I like:

Tobias: I enjoy a good villain, and this calculating character is my favorite aspect of the story. Give me all the darkness.

The atmosphere: The gothic vibe works so well. I can feel the coldness seeping through the pages.

The mystery: I realized I didn’t know much about selkie wives after starting this book. So I had to turn the pages to find out what’s going on. And what is Tobias going to do? I have to know!

Muirin: I find mildly possessive female characters in fiction endearing. Sue me.

Things I dislike:

Jean: As the main character, she doesn’t undergo much development and lacks a character arc. I guess it's fine for the genre? But sometimes, her behaviors are inconsistent with her character, which bugs me a bit.

I thought the story would get even darker with some midwifery incidents (like a dead newborn or a mother, or both) that Jean had to deal with. This could enrich the character development and give the story more depth.

The writing style: The author attempted to use language to make the story feel more historical, I think? But sometimes, it feels a bit like they are trying too hard and the writing becomes overwritten. It can be a little confusing and exhausting from time to time.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is a queer retelling of The Selkie Wife. Midwife Jean is shocked when she finds an unknown pregnant woman on her doorstep. Muirin can’t communicate, but some things are universal. Jean eventually pieces together that she is married to Tobias, a solitary fisherman. As Muirin and Jean grow closer, Jean’s suspicions about Tobias begin to grow. Yet she can’t understand why Muirin won’t leave Tobias. As Tobias grows more paranoid, can Jean keep Muirin and her baby safe?

I love queer stories and stories about selkies! A Sweet Sting of Salt is an excellent retelling. The romance between Muirin and Jean is slowburn, yet comes to a simmering heat. I love how in this retelling, Jean is loved for who she is by her found family. While she still faces discrimination from some in the town and from Tobias, Jean manages to find love and acceptance in a time where that was scarce for queer people. The lore about selkies was beautifully done and I only wish that more time could have been devoted to them! A Sweet Sting of Salt is a gripping small-town story with a twist. This is the perfect book to curl up with and become swept away by. I will definitely look forward to what Rose Sutherland writes next!

Thank you to Rose Sutherland, Dell, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

A Sweet Sting of Salt
Rose Sutherland
Pub date: April 9, 2024

Jean is a midwife who keeps to herself in her small seaside village. When she comes across Muirin, a neighbor’s wife, who’s in labor, she assists and they form a bond that can’t be broken.

This is such a lovely story with an idyllic setting, putting the Selkie Wife in a new light. Sutherland has a way with writing captivating prose and while this is a slower moving story, I never once lost interest.

This is a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to what Rose Sutherland writes next!

My thanks to the publisher for this gifted DRC.

I was immediately hooked by the voice and main character of this book. I loved this grouchy spinster midwife in 1830s Nova Scotia. All the historical details about her quiet little cottage life and how she helped birth babies really created this cozy, old timey small village atmosphere that I could just sink into. Then it was all interwoven with selkie folklore in the most down to earth kind of way—this practical, no-nonsense main character mixed in with this otherworldly stuff and all the tense situations that ended up combining with it. I thought it was so great. The characters were all so enjoyable to read about and easy to get invested in, and I got really nervous for everyone toward the end. I just overall had a good time reading this and I definitely recommend it!

Beautiful book with wonderful prose. I really appreciate that, while poetic at times, it was a drag to read.

This story was good and I like the concept of it and the characters. I felt it was lacking something though I feel that it would still be a good read if you like fantasy.

When you want to read something that feels like <i>ivy</i> by Taylor Swift but in book form, this is for you. Such an atmospheric story that I couldn’t put down! I’ve read a few different reimaginings of The Selkie Wife, but this one is far and away my favorite so far!

It’s Nova Scotia in 1832…the sea is the lifeblood of Jean’s village. Although she’s a skilled midwife, Jean feels like an outsider - ever since ugly stories started circulating about her relationship with another girl. Apart from house calls, she keeps to herself in her isolated cottage outside town.

But one night a mysterious young woman in labor turns up on the shore in front of Jean’s house. She can’t speak a word of English, but some things transcend language - Jean saves her and her newborn baby boy, only to discover that this mystery woman is the wife of her nearest neighbor. Why does her husband’s arrival seem to strike fear in Muirin’s heart? Why does she suddenly become so quiet and withdrawn when he’s around? As Jean and Muirin’s friendship grows deeper, Jean can’t quite manage to set aside her concerns. Not when she suspects that something next door is horribly wrong…

I really loved the wild Nova Scotia setting…the woods and sea lend the perfect Gothic backdrop to Jean and Muirin’s story. Rose, the author, has deep roots there and you can feel it in every description she writes. Queer relationships in a historical setting can also be really challenging to write in a way that feels authentic to the time period, but Rose nailed it - especially considering this is her debut novel.

Thanks to Rose, Netgalley and Dell for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This is not a perfect book and may not being for every reader, but this did so many things I like!! The vibe was immaculate- historical rural setting more concerned with the day to day life of Jean, the area midwife, and her new friend.

I love historical novels that aren’t so much about historical events, but just focused on the people of the time and how they lived their lives. This novel really does this well. I also really enjoyed the growing relationship between Jean and Muirin, and between Jean and her mentor and childhood friends. The main conflict was interesting and angering while managing to hold the story together. I do think the pacing suffered a bit in the 2nd half, though.

If you like this slow slice of life type of story, please give this a try!

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this sapphic retelling of the Selkie Bride. Set in 1820s Nova Scotia, it's told from the tight 3rd person limited perspective of Jean, the midwife of her small village. One night Muirin, a young bride in labor, shows up at Jean's home. When Tobias, Muirin's husband, comes to collect her, Jean worries that something is wrong: Muirin won't look at or speak to him. Jean and Muirin form a friendship - one that's something a little deeper on Jean's side. As they spend more time together, Jean starts to suspect something is really wrong, but she doesn't realize the extent of it...

This is an unsettling read, as Jean does her best to help Muirin while being stalked by Tobias, who's determined to maintain the status quo. The Selkie Bride retelling adds a sense of otherworldliness to the story, but Muirin's isolation and mistreatment at the hands of her husband are all too real. I loved the atmosphere of the book, which conveyed a real sense of isolation and confinement. Muirin and Jean's love story feels a bit sudden, but it also feels real. I especially loved the addition of Laurie, Jean's foster brother, who faces a similar situation to hers.

Recommended for anyone who loves dark fairy tale retellings, LGBTQIA+ themes, and an ultimate HEA.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is a fantastically written book with lots of ethereal imagery, female love, and tenacity. Jean is a lonely midwife who has taken residence in her father’s old cabin at the edge of the woods. She has resigned herself to solitude after a traumatic separation from Josephine Kelly. However, when she finds a tall, dark-haired woman about to give birth in the marsh, she finds that friendship, love, and courage are key when you fight for someone that she loves.

This book has a bunch of literary elements, which I thoroughly enjoyed throughout the book. The tense relationship between the townspeople and Jean is not only realistic for 1830’s Canada, but still kept me on my toes and guessing “what is going to happen next?”

Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. You can get this book from Random House Publishing on April 9, 2024.

A historical slow paced story starting with our midwife Jean, as she meets Muirin and slowly setting the stage for a slow build sapphic love story.

Jean and Muirin are both likeable characters albeit Muirin was pretty underdeveloped . As a folktale retelling, the story lost me a bit with the loss of explanation and I don’t want to give away who the retelling of the fantasy is in regards as I then had to do research. Which I wish I had
not, as I did find contradictions as the author even admits to not really researching ahead of time and going off of memory. I contemplated DNFing this one.
Boy was this story all over the place and inconsistent. One minute, we’re gasping over a character saying the f word and the next, we’re laughing at a crude joke by same character that gasped. I really couldn’t figure out what this story was trying to accomplish- it’s over explaining in narration, feeling repetitive questions and the next, it’s jumping from a to z, completely missing any explanation at all. It almost feels like being written by two different people, with two different goals. I hope this finished copy feels better edited, as this just felt like a first draft to me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for granting my wish to read this! That being said, I really wished that I liked this one, unfortunately it just couldn't hold my attention (definitely a me thing and not the book itself)

Had to put this one down for now. Just couldn’t get into it, but will attempt to pick up at another times do revise my feedback as appropriate.