I had the distinct pleasure of delving into "A Sweet Sting of Salt" by Rose Sutherland, and I must say, it marked my inaugural experience with a queer retelling of the Selkie Wife – a venture I found to be truly enchanting.

The pacing and structure of the book deserve applause, seamlessly maintaining momentum without ever descending into sluggishness.

The portrayal of the characters' relationships was a standout. They evolved organically within the constraints of their circumstances, avoiding contrivance and staying true to their contextual realities. Tobias, a character who initially assumes the role of a concerned husband, gradually unveils his multifaceted personality beneath the façade. Even when on his best behavior, he exudes an unsettling air that lingers with the reader. Meanwhile, Jean's interactions with the central characters felt genuine and purposeful.

In sum, "A Sweet Sting of Salt" is a compelling recommendation, particularly for those seeking a poignant queer love story intertwined with the tapestry of selkie lore and set against breathtaking landscapes.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for granting my wish and offering the opportunity to delve into this ARC for an honest review.

Spoilers ahead. This is hands down the best selkie story I have ever read. The characters are fully formed and act like real people. The situation may be fantastic but the characters are fully themselves. Muirin is believable as a domestic abuse victim, wanting to leave but unable to do so. The book really feels like a family story, "Oh,let me tell you how we met and fell in love." I reccomend this book to anyone wants to read a real fairy tale. It's fantastic.

I just had a really hard time getting into this one. It was just a little bit too slow for me, but I’d still recommend

A Sweet Sting of Salt (Paperback)
by Rose Sutherland
A dynamic look at mythology of Scotland and the idea of social norms. The idea of selkie mythology of the British isle is an odd and remarkable twist of the mermaids The protagonists were tested in many ways with social conflict, religious idealism and rumors. . The historical struggle for women to be independent and not considered their father or husbands property has a long standing. This story shows a view of LTGBQ+ in this dynamic time. The struggles of these women show the personal struggle of women in the English society of the 1800's.

This book was fantastic. I loved every single second reading this the characters were phenomenal the story enchanting.

**📚 Book Review: "A Sweet Sting of Salt" by Rose Sutherland 🌊**

**Plot** 🌟

If you are familiar with the the folktale, The Selkie Wife, this queer reimagining will feel both deeply familiar and like coming home to the tale you always wished it could be.

From the beginning of our story, we see Jean, a village midwife, closed off due to past trauma. Despite taking care of all the mothers and babies in town, she’s emotionally shut off for her own protection. The heartbreaking story behind her past is unraveled as the book progresses—but similar to the folktale at the heart of the novel, the clues Sutherland scatters make you feel more like you are waiting for everything to come together rather than for a big reveal. You already know the story because it’s all an archetype of one kind or another, we are just seeing the pieces fall into place.

So when Muirin shows up, in labor, outside her door, we readers know with certainty who and what she will turn out to be. That does not in any way take away from the journey, folktales are meant to be repeated.

**Characters** 🌈

Taking the plot into consideration, it’s hard not to want to shake Jean senseless for what feels like unnecessary headstrong stupidity. We KNOW what she doesn’t and it’s difficult not to find her deeply frustrating! Fortunately, the full cast is so delightfully vulnerable and rich in their relationships. I ended up adoring Jeans tenacity and Muirin’s open heart, loved Laurie’s complex heartbreak. I loved that Sutherland made sure to include that Anneke was indigenous and in fact elaborated on her Mi’kmaq descent in the author’s notes.

**Vibes** 🌊🏳️‍🌈

I had a full “aha!” moment when I read the author’s notes and discovered she was raised in Nova Scotia. You can feel her roots woven into every page, wrapping the reader into a captivating and atmospheric experience that lingers, areminder that storytelling can be a journey into the very soul of a place..

And oh, the queerness! It is so deliciously, unabashedly queer. I was a bit frustrated with the fade-to-black love scene, because you KNOW based on this author’s skill it would have been just gorgeous. And why are the Sapphic ones always fade to black?!

Also, I couldn’t help but notice there were two delightful characters named Jo and Laurie and it felt like a little nod to the Little Women queer undertone vibes too, maybe?

**Pacing** ⏳

medium - definitely felt like it dragged a little in parts but this is a very minor complaint.

**Overall** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rutherford understood the assignment. This book was not complex or surprising, it hit the mark perfectly in every way it was supposed to. It fulfilled the modern romance novel contract, provided strong get-it-girl moments, and fundamentally rewrote a common folktale as an empowering queer romance. The atmosphere was dreamy, the plot was familiar and still kept me on the edge of my seat. I unabashedly give it 5 stars!

*Content Warnings* 🚨

murder, death of a parent, domestic abuse, LGBTQ bigotry

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me an ARC so I could write this rambling review. Ruth Sutherland, you are officially an insta-read for me now.

DNF I did not like the layout of this book and I did not like the flow of the book at all. I wanted this to be good but I only got about 20 pages in

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Ballantine, for this ARC. This was a glorious and beautiful retelling of the Selkie Queen. Jean is a badass who I adored. There was suspense and tension throughout. The Nova Scotia descriptions were vibrant and transformative.

Sadly this wasn’t for me. I was so excited about the description but I only got about twenty pages in before I DNFed

A Sweet Sting of Salt
By Rose Sutherland
April 9, 2024

Jean, a midwife who is somewhat of a loner in her seaside town, comes across an unfamiliar woman in labor. Muirin, one of Jean’s neighbors' wives, was in labor. It doesn't matter that she doesn't recognize her, she knows she must help.
From there a beautiful relationship forms between the two women.

The story was a new take on The Selkie Wife with a sapphic twist that was just the most beautiful story I’ve read in a long time. I flew through this book. The folklore, the romance and rich historic feel of the books made it one of the best retellings I’ve read so far. From the first chapter of the book I was hooked, I didn’t want to stop reading it,


Thanks to Dell Publishing and NetGalley for the surprise grant of the advanced readers edition in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I had a hard time with believing the dialogue and mannerisms for the time period. Unfortunately didn’t work for me.

How far would you go to rescue the person you loved? This is the central question for the protagonist, Jean, in Rose Sutherland's stunning debut A Sweet Sting of Salt. One cold winter's night, Jean is awoken by a scream outside her cottage and finds Muirin, the mysterious pregnant wife of Tobias Silber, in labor and freezing in the cold. After ushering her inside, it isn't long until Muirin's baby is born, but Jean can't help to wonder why she hadn't known about the pregnancy as the village's only midwife. Why had Tobias kept it a secret? And where had Muirin been trying to run to? All these questions consume Jean, and the truth seems to be way more sinister than she could have imagined.

This queer retelling of The Selkie Wife kept me hooked from the beginning. Even though I knew the entire time what was really going on with Muirin and her husband, the story kept me on my toes and I feared for Jean in her fight to get her love to safety. Sutherland is a talented storyteller and has no problem transporting readers to a time long past. The setting was executed splendidly and I can't wait for what's next from the author. Retelling a folktale and keeping it fresh can be a daunting task, but Sutherland was surely up to it.

This was absolutely beautiful! What a roller coaster of emotions!!! I really enjoyed the relationship that was built between Jean and Muirin. Watching how angry and jealous Tobias became as the novel went on…. Was a struggle.

It’s still hard to believe this is a debut from this author! Looking forward to what’s next.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc!!

On a cold autumn night in 1830's coastal Nova Scotia, a young midwife, Jean, hears a cry and discovers a woman in active labor outside her cottage.
Muirin speaks almost no English and after helping her deliver a healthy son, Jean realizes she is the wife of the fisherman who lives through the woods in the neighboring house. But when Jean fetches the husband Tobias, Muirin's demeanor changes and Jean becomes suspicious that all is not well with her neighbors.

I couldn't put A Sweet Sting of Salt down and finished it in fewer that 24 hours. Good tension and anticipation as the plot built.

wow, wow, wow, what a stunning debut novel!

jean is a midwife in a coastal town. when she and her mentor meet muirin and her baby, jean takes a liking to her, a dangerous one for the late 1800s. muirin's husband doesn't want her to speak, and so he decides not to teach his gaelic speaking wife any english. jean slowly teaches muirin and they build a bond like no other. as jean's attraction grows, muirin's husband grows more vicious, angry, and jealous. there are already rumors about jean's sexuality, but muirin is more important to her than the perception the townspeople have of jean.

this novel is atmospheric, beautiful, and moving. i cannot believe that this is a debut novel; it's perfect. i loved this book. i read it in one sitting, completely obsessed. sutherland is an author to watch; i cannot wait to read her next novel. five stars, hands down!

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

352 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell
Release Date: April 9, 2024

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, LGBTQIAP+

Jean is a midwife in a small village. She has lived in this small house all her life with her father, but his recent passing has brought a pall over the place. Jean had an illicit affair with her best friend. Once her family found out, they quickly married her off and began dirtying Jean’s name to anyone that would listen.

One night during a terrible storm, a woman, heavy with child, is in Jean’s yard. She brings her into the house but does not recognize her. She realizes it must be the neighbor, Tobias’ wife Muirin. As a midwife, she helps deliver the baby and notices his webbed fingers. The next morning Jean sets out to let Tobias know Muirin and son are at her house, and they are doing well. Because Muirin does not speak English, Jean does not realize what she is trying to tell her.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are well developed, and it is written in third person point of view. I could see from the beginning of the book the basis of the story. It is one of my favorite themes. If you like Irish/Scottish/English folklore stories, you may enjoy this book.

Am ALWAYS here for retellings, and this twist on the classic folktale of The Selkie Wife did not disappoint! Jean is one of the best female protagonists I've read in a long time, especially as the author does such a fantastic job of conveying her own confusion about the magical events which she has become caught up in to the reader as well; it truly feels as you are living a fairytale, with all its ups and downs, right along with her. Beautifully written with delightful chemistry between Jean and Muirin -- and a villain you love to hate in Tobias -- I cannot recommend this book enough!

To get involved or not? That is the question! If you have something going on with your neighbor, do you stink your nose where it doesn't belong or turn a blind eye? I loved this spooky novel!

A haunting tale that was bursting with tension from the very first chapter. I feel tempted to put the descriptors cozy and dark in this review, despite them sounding like opposites. There was such a coziness to this story, similar to that of a fairytale told to you by your grandmother besides a fire on a snowy day. As dark as the atmosphere was, it never got to be TOO much that it would feel like horror or something scary. There was tension, definitely, and it was that tension that had me gripping my kindle until my knuckles turned white. The queer elements of this story were lovely and warm, and all of the relationships in it-platonic, romantic, and familial alike-were so raw and wonderful to read about. My only regret is that the blurb did not give so much away, as anyone even remotely familiar with selkie mythology will know from the very first pages what the final twist at the end is. Alas, the mystery moreso came in a domestic thriller fashion which I enjoyed for sure. This may be a bit too slow paced for some readers, but if you don’t mind a quiet lyrical tale with very little action but many Good Mystery Vibes, I highly recommend picking this up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this queer folktale retelling! The story follows Jean, the town midwife, after a strange encounter with a pregnant woman in the night. She is drawn to this mysterious woman, Muirin, especially after seeing how she shrinks from her new husband, Tobias. Sensing something is wrong, she stops at nothing to help Muirin, and discovers something otherworldly in the process.

The word that comes to mind when I think of this book is “quaint”, in the best way possible. We follow Jean during her day to day life, tending to her patients, working on her farm and walking around her bucolic town. The setting really comes alive in this story and it’s a beautiful world to spend time in.

While the pace of this book is slow to medium, the tense action scenes were really gripping and I couldn’t stop reading. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until certain parts were over and I couldn’t put it down until I knew what happened.

Also queer representation! Some passages were brimming with queer joy and queer people just living their lives. Thankful for it in this book.