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.

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.