I wanted so badly to give this book 5 stars. Everything about the story itself was excellent: the romantic dynamic between the characters, the companionship of friends, the exploration of queerness and othering through the lens of other ostracized groups being more welcoming, the inclusion and acknowledgement of Indigenous culture in a historical setting a way that just flowed, etc. However, there is one huge problem with this book:

From the synopsis, the reader knows this is a story about the legend of the Selkie Wife. You kind of get bashed over the head with all the clues to a reveal you go into the book knowing, but the main perspective character does not know and has no way of knowing. You can’t be upset with her, because it’s not her fault. But for me it is incredibly frustrating to read a book where you know the twist and the main characters doesn’t til truly 90%+ of the way through. Some people might like that, and will easily give this book five stars, but I have to dock a star because it really affected my enjoyment of the book.

Other than that I loved the setting and historical details, the inclusion of pregnancy/midwifery in a way that felt educational but not preachy, the day to day life the characters feeling so real and natural, and the way that the characters grew to understand each others language and were able to find happiness. I truly don’t know how to fix my problem with the book, but I hope others can look past that issue as well and enjoy it.

Trigger Warnings: SA, Spousal Abuse, Homophobia
Thank you NetGalley!
This book was beautifully written, a slow burn and, for the subject matter it does feel very cozy. A queer retelling of The Selkie Bride, A Sweet String of Salt follows the story of Jean, a midwife and outcast in a gossipy fishing village who falls for a mysterious woman after delivering her baby in the middle of a story night. This book is atmospheric, you can fell the dread building and building but even though I found the ending to be a bit rushed, this was one of those books where you can feel the love pouring out of every page, and Rose Sutherland, you ate this. I cannot wait to see what others think of this book and I need more queer selkie novels in my life. Well done.

A queer retelling of the selkie wife. I enjoyed this book. The romance was sweet and not overly lusty. There was tension and frustration from the Mc and antagonist as well as people from the small village. While predictable, it was a sweet, fun story.

Answering a piercing cry through a storm, Jean the village midwife not only stumbled upon a heavily pregnant woman, she unknowingly opened up a door that will cast her closely guarded world into disarray. The woman has prominent features that hinted at familiarity to Jean but try as she might, Jean could not place her in the village. With the baby delivered and the woman’s identity revealed, Jean’s observation of Muirin’s reticence to her husband and something about the baby made her do the unthinkable; she put them up temporarily in her cabin.

As each day progressed, Muirin appeared brighter, their exchanges grew livelier, smells and sounds started to fill her once empty home and Jean’s fascination grew. Even with as soft and incomprehensible Muirin’s words may be, she found a listening heart in Jean. As Muirin’s departure loomed, words became few and far between until silence reigned once again. With a determination to chase after the unspoken and unanswered, Jean set on a course to relive the sweet but might not survive the sting of truth.

Based off folktale The Selkie Wife, A Sweet Sting of Salt is a tantalising debut and a whetting of appetites for the things to come from the author. Readers who are in the market for fantasy with a LGBT twist, be prepared to not only get your suspense fix but be enchanted by a tale as old as it is new. The author wrote an endearing character right into the hearts of readers with Muirin’s desires that exposed her vulnerabilities, her inability to articulate but loving actions that spoke volumes and her touches of affection that was all encompassing. The book has a HEA ending, fitting for a connection that is so deep and dear, where the ladies fought and wrote their own destiny.

I just reviewed A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing House - Ballantine for the ARC.

This book was just very odd and I found myself unable to get into the story at all.

I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Thanks Random Publishing Ballantine and Netgalley for this eARC these opinions are my own. When I was sent this eARC I hadn’t heard of the “The Selkie Wife” tale nor did I know much about selkie’s in general so I got to go in with a pretty fresh mind! In a storm Jean finds a women in labor. Though they can’t seem to communicate Jean helps her give birth. Later she finds out that they woman is a wife of a nearby neighbor. Something doesn’t feel right to Jean and she’ll stop at nothing to figure out what. This one kept me guessing and the tension just kept building! The characters are so well written and the chemistry fits all the dynamics so well! I was intrigued until the very end! Highly recommend, can’t wait to read again!

This beautiful book is a sapphic retelling of The Selkie Wife, an Irish/Scottish folk-tale in which a man compels a Selkie (seal-person) to marry him, causing her to long for the sea and her true home. Although I knew generally what the story was about, the plot kept me guessing and I was genuinely desperate to know how this was going to shake out.

The take on the story is extremely compelling and drew me in with its foreboding, watery vibes and intriguing characters. There are some dark elements here and others have outlined the TWs. I found the beginning a bit slow, but by 20% in, I was hooked.

I am happy to admit that I requested this book due to the beautiful cover and title, and I am equally happy to report that it provided the moody vibes.

The book also includes an interview with the author and book club topics at the end, which I thought were interesting. This would be a good one to discuss.

A Sweet Sting of Salt
5/5 rating

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley!!

As a queer woman who LOVES Gaelic folklore, I could not wait to get my hands on this one! And when I finally got the chance to read it, I was captivated from beginning to end.

Sutherland’s writing is lush and immersive, this fantastical historical fiction novel has a similar haunting nautical atmosphere to Erin A Craig's ‘House of Salt and Sorrows’. I’ve never read a retelling of The Selkie Wife before, but this one was incredibly well done-and I would absolutely recommend it if you are a fan of retellings and coastal settings.


Overall this was a very enjoyable read and I absolutely cannot wait to check out all of Sutherland’s future works :))

This novel was one of the best historical fictions I've ever read. I had high expectations, both as a fan of selkie lore and having roots in Nova Scotia, and this book exceeded my expectations. Sutherland has a wonderful skill of blending history and fantasy to form a story that is, at its core, about love.

A SWEET STING OF SALT is a gorgeous and bittersweet feminist retelling of a classic seafaring myth that finally gives the selkie wife the chance to shape her own tale. The 19th-century Canadian setting is artfully drawn down to the last chicken coop and flake of snow, and Sutherland's fearlessly kind midwife Jean is a triumph. Plus, there's seaside sapphic yearning for days, if that's your thing. (It's my thing.)

Overall, this was a very cozy, cottage-core, small town, seaside, tense, slow-burn fantasy romance. It is also a retelling of The Selkie Wife, but since I hadn’t actually known that story before going into this one, I won’t actually be able to comment on those aspects.

I had a really fun time reading this story. The main character, Jean, is a midwife who makes some very well-intentioned and increasingly questionable decisions following an absurd birth. Normally, the types of decisions made would infuriate me; however, I found that since the side-characters acknowledged how dumb a lot of the decisions were, so they added a lighthearted and silly mood to the overall plot. Otherwise, the plot was filled with tension, oscillating between the romantic and the suspenseful.

This book was more vibes than anything else, and honestly, I had a delightful time with those vibes!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending me the arc!

SUCH. a good story, even though I did not know that it was a fairy tale retelling until checking goodreads. It's a book you can enjoy not knowing the fairy tale inspiration and I think that makes it all the better. Loved the setting, the characters, and the plot. Probably one of my books of the year.

I was incredibly lucky to have been gifted an eARC of this stunningly atmospheric and adorably pining love story, and I’m honestly so sad it’s over. 🐚

The story is set in 1830s Nova Scotia, and while I’ve never been up that far north and east, the beautiful story-telling made me feel like I was transported there. The coast, the town, the people, it all felt like I was watching a movie. . . In particular, the love story of the two farmer wives from the movie, The Word to Come (2020). 👒

I really enjoyed Jean as the MC, even though her stubbornness and desire to help others to the point of self-endangerment was a bit much for me. I feel like she’s one of those people who thinks they enjoy solitary lifestyles, but then realized they prefer the company of people they love (. . . *nervously coughs* me). I loved how inquisitive and lovely Muirin’s personality was. She was so gleeful and happy whenever she was with Jean it was rather contagious I thought. Their pining love story was what really sold it for me. Their need to be near each other started off as a beautiful friendship that turned into something more, and I couldn’t get enough of the two. ❤️

The Selkie Wife tale mixed with LGBTQ+ elements (both lesbian and gay love) was such a beautiful mesh of love and friendship. It also really shows just how delusional some men can be when they think trapping a woman in a gilded cage is equal to “love.” 😒

All in all, I would definitely recommend to those who are looking for a beautiful queer love story based on selkie lore and with beautiful sweeping landscapes. 🌊

Thank you again to Penguin Random House for reaching out and gifting me this eARC via NetGalley for an honest review. I loved every second of it and I hope there’s a spin-off or a prequel about Buchanan and his wife. 💙

Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️

For YEARS, I have been saying I want a good, beautiful selkie romance. Anyone who knows me knows that selkies are my all-time favorite legend and if I could, I would talk about them all day and all night. So when I was <I> invited </i> to read this book, I was over the moon. This was everything I could have hoped for and more! And to top it off, it comes out on my birthday next year <3

Rose Sutherland weaves a fantastic story here with bits of history and culture. The characters keep you laughing or sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what they're going to do next. There's even moments that had me holding my breath with the intensity, and of course, the ending made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

My only complaint is that it's over! I will be rereading this over and over again.

★ ★ ★ ★ //5
𝐀 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭
by Rose Sutherland

THOUGHTS:

I absorbed this amazing cozy historical fantasy and the entirety captivated me. The characters in this novel was so well written and nothing was not thought about when it came to the world development and plot/storyline. We follow Jean who is a midwife and lives on a farm and one night has a distraught woman she up in her front yard. She finds herself helping deliver a baby of a woman whom ends up being her neighbors wife she didn’t know existed. The mother and child stay with her and Jean becomes very fond of her. I loved watching these two through this book. The slow burn in the book was perfection, the tension is just right and the secrets and mystery—I was absolutely there for it. I kept flipping through pages trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I was sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time. This book took me a few days to get through and I thought about this book for days long after I read it.

If you love :
- Slow Burn
- Historical Fantasy
- Folklore
- LGBTQA+
- Twists & Turns

Race and put this on your TBR NOW!

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group — Ballantine Dell & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Ever since a failed relationship when she was young, Jean has kept to herself. As the town midwife, she does her job, saving mothers and babies from harm. When she hears a woman crying one night outside of her home, she doesn't hesitate to help. She finds Muirin in the water, soaked and in labor. She doesn't speak English, and Jean doesn't speak Muirin's language, but they work to bring the baby into the world. The act sparks a friendship that would upend what Jean thought she knew about herself and life.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It's very well crafted and the characters felt real. While I did feel there were moments when the narrative was a little slow, it didn't take away from the story. I loved the relationships in this book and how natural they were.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group and Ballantine, Dell for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review! After finishing it, and enjoying it greatly, I found the Les Mis fandom on tumblr was acknowledged. I was not in said fandom... but one of my best friends was. Doing a moment of sleuthing, I think my friend was at one time mutuals-in-law with the author. This does not impact my review, I just think it's really fun to find connections.

And after all, connections is what makes A Sweet Sting of Salt. Jean is all but cut off from the world, working as a midwife who (though trusted to deliver children) is not much more trusted with other women. Her mentor is whom she relies on the most, the woman who coaxed her back into the world, forced others to accept Jean by refusing to hide her. So too, is Jean's closest friend, the son of her mentor (and just as gay as Jean herself), the former lover of Jean's. . . and a little red fox.

Jean's journey is also through finding acceptance, both self and of her mistakes. Too, she must accept her own instincts for at first Muireen can’t even speak to anyone, and Jean feels the oddity of that, before considering it as a way to feel needed, loved. As she falls more in love with Muireen, she slowly grows more uneasy with Muireen’s relationship with her husband. Even then, she tries to think the best, never quite trusting herself.

I think the love between them felt very organic and homegrown. At no point did I feel “you’ve only known each other six days!” or something of the like. Muireen’s choices were prioritized by Jean and the narrative, even misunderstood choices. Muireen is foremost for Jean, and this is something that does not change throughout the novel.

Five out of five stars! I really enjoyed it, and look forward to reading this author’s next book.

To start, thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of A Sweet Sting of Salt.

If you only read one part of my review make it this one....YES IMMEDIATELY PUT IT ON YOUR TBR AND READ IT AND LOVE IT

Okay, now that we have gotten that out of the way.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is a retelling of the classic folktale, The Selkie Wife. The Selkie Wife tells the tale of a man who steals a woman's selkie skin (selkie are a mythological being that is part seal part human), forcing her to follow him onto land where he holds her captive and convinces her to be his wife, who longs for the sea. Rose Sutherland, familiar with this folktale, and similar to myself, is irked with the idea that in The Selkie Wife, it is written in a way that you as the reader feel as though the tale is trying to make you feel sympathy for the husband when the wife eventually returns to the sea (despite all the kidnapping and general Stockholm syndrome vibes....yeah besides that), and therefore she sought out to retell this story.

Our main character, Jean, is a lonely midwife living alone on the coast on the outskirts of town. One night she hears a terrible scream and rushes outside to find a woman in labor, who she eventually deducts is the mysterious wife, Muirin, of her neighbor, Tobias. Jean's instincts are immediately on edge when she brings Tobias to reunite with his family and sees how the married couple interacts. What starts out as a protective professional urge, soon develops into more as the two women spend more and more time together. During this time, secrets seem to be growing as they also come to light, and as Jean and Muirin grow closer, the danger they are facing also grows. Can Jean and Muirin find safety? And if they do, at what cost?

I was beyond thrilled when I saw the email come through that I had been granted access to an ARC of A Sweet Sting of Salt. It was one of those books that with the cover and description alone, I knew it would be something I would fall in love with and I was certainly right. Once I picked up this story I truly did not want to put it down, in part because of my growing affection for Jean, Muirin, and Keil, and also because I just wanted to know what was going to happen next. Even though I knew the story of The Selkie Wife and therefore could fairly easily assume the answers to most of the secrets in the story, that did not at all stop me from wanting those characters and this author to be the ones to tell me them. Jean and Muirin's love for one another was so very lovely, and though I would have loved even more from some of our side characters such as Jo, Anneke, Dal, and Laurie, I loved every moment I got with them. For anyone who is like me, I am also extremely happy to report that there is in fact an Epilogue!

Beyond thrilled to recommend A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland which will be released on April 9th, 2024!

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
Is an astonishingly beautiful debut novel retelling the folktale of the selkies. I highly enjoyed this book due to its lovely atmosphere, the flawed characters, and the lgbtq+ love story.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is set on the coast of Nova Scotia in the 1830s. This area is a harsh setting, made up of rocky cliffs, marshy ponds, and long winters. The descriptions of the land were gorgeous, and so descriptive as to make you feel like you were there. The weather of the winter causing travel to be impossible added to the overall tension in the novel. And the time period was such a good choice for the story as that time feels magical, yet treacherous for two women to be in love.

The two main characters in this novel, Jean and Muirin are both inherently flawed, but such lovable multidimensional people. The character growth over the novel was extremely well done as well; I love how both became more of themselves rather than changing their traits drastically. Jean may have become more headstrong and careless of her own safety, but grew in the love she had for Muirin and Kiel. Muirin became stronger, more self aware, and more willing to do what she had to for her life and her love.

I also really enjoyed the reveal at the end, which though fairly unsurprising with all of the foreshadowing, was nevertheless sweet, heartfelt, and enlightening. I was surprised that the lighthouse keeper was actually related to Muirin and she had been so close throughout her life.

5/5 stars as I’m sure this book will live in my mind for a long while. Also looking forward to more from this author in the future!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I am very familiar with the story that A Sweet Sting of Salt is based on, and I feel like Ms. Sutherland's rendition is a very beautiful retelling, and I really love the artistic twists that she braided in. It was a cozy historical romance that really kept my attention throughout it, and I loved the slow-burn, sapphic romance, I felt like it was really well written, and not rushed at all. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.