3.75 stars

Very interesting premise, definitely not my normal sort of read. I thought at times the writing got a little too deep where the point got lost so that caused me to read this a smidge slowly. However the world building was at times taking a back seat and that’s a pet peeve of mine as when you’re in a fantasy world (or any non-modern world) I expect like 40% to be world building. This was like 20% and I found that caused me to have a bit of a difficult time getting into it but once I stuck it out to approximately 60% through it picked up and really grabbed me. So overall good, unique, needs a bit of reigning in at times but I liked it!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was magical yet real ( I was previously not aware of the Selkie Wife) of the hard and lonely life of a midwife on the rocky shore of Nova Scotia. It was beautifully written and full of courage and passion. I definitely will look forward to more work by this debut author, Rose Sutherland.

Wow.

What a gorgeous tale of love and yearning.

I wanted to wait to read this one because I had an inkling that this would a beautiful story. And it did not disappoint.

Jean and Muirin’s story is so poignant and a lesson in compassion and trust.

Thank you so much to Random House - Dell for this digital arc. I can’t wait to continue to rave about this novel closer to its pub date.

I loved this book so much. I don't always like historical fiction but Sutherland blended the mundane with the magical in a way that was breathtaking and kept me hooked until I was reading the last pages with tears in my eyes. There aren't nearly enough Selkie stories but A SWEET STING OF SALT is honestly perfect. I loved the characters, Jean had me in the first chapter and I was invested in her heartache and her love. I've never wanted a happy ending more in a story.

I really loved this book! I'm not even usually a big fan of historical fiction, but the blending of mythology and folklore into this story really had me engaged with the plot and characters on a deep level. The characters were well developed and the plot kept me hooked until the end!

My first historical fiction in awhile. I was sucked right in and couldn't put it down! Highly recommend checking it out!

What a debut novel this was! Truly entrancing and such a beautiful story. I am not a huge fan of historical romance but after reading the description and then actually reading this novel, I think I might have found a genre I can truly appreciate.

This story is a slow burner but with that given, it was needed to get to truly know the characters and their stories, how they navigated through the world during this time. I truly love how this novel ended on a happy note but to get to that happy ending they had to deal with truly difficult situations and some nasty characters. I enjoyed the fact that each character, especially the main characters Jean and Muirin, were given so much detail as to who they were and what brought them together, that alone made me truly appreciate the story.
This is worth the read and is a very solid debut, I look forward to future projects from the author.

I was given the opportunity to read an ARC via NetGalley, this is my honest review. Many thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this fantastic debut.

I have read many versions of the typical selkie story of the woman losing her sealskin robe (or in eastern asian mythology, her robe of feathers!) and the husband hiding it away, forcing her to marry him and have children with him. So I was intrigued to see how this story would play out as it had LGBT elements to it. I think I would have enjoyed the story a little bit more if there had not been a language barrier between Jean and Muirin. Im some ways I see how it helped move things along but also how it hindered. I was pleasantly surprised the child was NOT a focus in the story for a retelling of this particular fairytale for once and greatly appreciated it, though the child did help move some things along for the plot. The author did well in relaying the fear and disgust of how Muirin's husband viewed and treated women, not mention other villagers attitudes toward Jean herself. I found the small moments of time Muirin and Jean had together some of the most tender hearted scenes I've read in a long time. From start to finish, I didn't know what to expect for this retelling and enjoyed every minute of it. Definitely would recommend this to my friends!

A build so slow I honestly wondered if it was going anywhere... While I did enjoy the retelling of a known tale and the sapphic relationship, there were times I had a hard time picking it up to keep reading. If you're looking for an extremely slow-burn, then you've found the right book. I prefer novels that are a little faster paced.

*** I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

4 stars


A Sweet sting of Salt is a very captivating book, it is a historical fantasy retelling with LGBTQIA+ romance. It is a character driven book, along with a focus on a mystery woman who shows up in the middle of the night at the midwife's door. The perspective of this book follows Jean, who is a prominent and important person in her small town near the ocean. But she keeps herself and everyone else at a distance, until Muirin arrives in her life. This story is a slow build, really focusing on Jean developing and helping Muirin and having Muirin there for Jean as well but in a very manner, I thought their relationship was sweet and really heartfelt and I loved their journey together. Fantasy elements of this story were new to me, so I found it fun, surprising, and new. The book does pick up speed and action at the end and I thought the story was wrapped up really well. I would recommend this story especially if you are looking for something with a slow build mystery, romance and fantasy elements.
Trigger warnings: Sexual Assault
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

This was a stunning debut. I really enjoyed this story, and I loved reading about the Selkie folklore. The writer kept me interested, and I feel she wrote a beautiful story.

An enchanting twist on the tale of The Selkie Wife, this sapphic historical romance weaves myth with culture, yearning with the thrill of suspense, and grabs you for the moment you meet Jean and her first encounter with her neighbor’s wife

I feel like I've been searching for this book for years. I absolutely loved the Gothic and suspenseful vibes mixed with the folktale of The Selike Wife. This was such a great chilly weather read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was somewhat familiar with the selkie wife fairytale, and I think the author has done a wonderful job of reimagining the story, both in general and with the queer characters. Having Muirin be a non-English speaker was a great choice. It created an air of mystery and confusion, especially for Jean, the midwife who became overly involved in the life of Muirin and her husband Tobias after helping Muirin deliver her first child, Kiel/Toby, and realizing that something was off in the marriage. Also, although Jean helped Muirin learn some English, the language gap meant facial expressions and body language were key to communicating. It was also interesting to see how the relationship developed, especially as Jean had already experienced the difficulties that came with being romantically attracted to another woman at a time and in an environment where such relationships were not well tolerated.

This book was so good. I was drawn in from the beginning and the building dread and doom was intense. I was so I to the characters and their stories and backgrounds. I highly recommend this book. Such a great and thrilling book.

First off, this has to be one of the most GORGEOUS book covers I have EVER seen. If I had randomly come across this in the book store I would have bought it just to display in my home library. Just stunning.

Now, onto the book: Ever since reading and falling in love with Julia Armfield's "Our Wives Under The Sea", I have been DESPERATELY seeking another gothic, sapphic book full of slow-creeping horror/dread. THIS BOOK met and EXCEEDED my expectations! THANK YOU!

Like with "Our Wives Under The Sea", while reading this, I imagined the author whipping out some parchment paper and a quill and writing the achingly beautiful and melancholic prose. The writing here is just god-tier. 10/10. No notes.

I had heard of, but didn't know much about the Celtic legend of the Selkie wife before reading this, I love legends/lore so this really hit the spot for me! Add to that setting that was perfect for a book full of gothic romance and mystery. Ahhhhhhh!!!!

I am not exaggerating when I say that I am RUNNING to the book store to buy this when it is available in hard copy. This is tied with "Our Wives Under The Sea" as my favorite book of all time. SO GLAD I READ THIS! I will absolutely recommend this to literally any and everyone just as I have been with "Our Wives Under The Sea." I will never shut up about "A Sweet Sting of Salt" because it's a book everyone needs to read at least once.

I truly cannot believe this was a debut novel. Stunning. Perfection. I need more from Sutherland!!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

This is an absolutely MAGICAL story, that should appeal equally to fans of fables, love stories (it hardly matters that the love story occurs between to females, it is mere coincidence) and anyone who loves daydreams and the magical.

I went in expecting to love this book — based off the blurb, cover, and title — and absolutely did. The setting was so rich and atmospheric and felt both grounded and fantastical. It was one of those reads that once I started I couldn’t put down, and found myself entirely engrossed in the story, characters, and settings.

"A Sweet Sting of Salt" is a reimagining of a folk tale. I personally had never heard the folk tale so I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started the book. I was off thinking that Muirin was going to be a mermaid. At the beginning I felt that the story line was a bit too slow. But towards the end it was a lot of information and the pace was quicker. It was good story though. I enjoyed it towards the middle and end.
Jean is a midwife in a village. She casts herself as an outsider. One night she hears some screaming and goes to investigate. She finds Muirin in labor and tries to communicate with her. After the baby is born Jean goes to find Muirin's husband. Tobias seems like a protective husband but is there more to it? Things tend to get shaken up when Tobias suspects an affair between Jean and Muirin.

Jean Langille is a young woman living alone in the cottage her father built. She’s the town midwife for a remote coastal village in Nova Scotia in 1832, but she keeps herself apart from village life. She’s been burned by the community, so she holds them at arm’s length, delivering their babies, but returning to her secluded plot of land after.

When Muirin, the mysterious new wife of Jean’s nearest neighbor, Tobias Silber, shows up wailing outside Jean’s door in the middle of the night, in labor, she is ready to help. The baby safely delivered, and Tobias fetched to join his family, Jean fears that something isn’t quite right with the newlyweds. All alone in the snowy wilderness, can Jean get to the bottom of what’s wrong with her new friend before it’s too late?

I absolutely loved this queer, redemptive take on the Selkie Wife folktale. The world Rose Sutherland has (re)created is captivating and beautiful. The characters were dimensional, inclusive, and (mostly!) endearing. This was the kind of book you want to savor so that you can stay in the world for as long as possible.