A Sweet Sting of Salt: A Novel

by Rose Sutherland

A young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife. Now she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe.

“A modern sapphic updating of the selkie wife folk tale that’s already scoring with readers”—Parade (A Best Romance and Best LGBTQI+ Book of the Year So Far)

“Lush, atmospheric, and threaded with multiple kinds of magic.”—Paste

When a sharp cry wakes Jean in the middle of the night during a terrible tempest, she’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labor, drenched to the bone in the bitter cold and able to speak barely a word of English.

Although Jean is the only midwife for miles around, she’s at a loss for who this woman is or where she’s from; Jean can only assume that she must be the new wife of the neighbor up the road, Tobias. And when Tobias does indeed arrive at her cabin in search of his wife, Muirin, Jean’s questions continue to multiply. Why has he kept his wife’s pregnancy a secret? And why does Muirin’s open demeanor change completely the moment she’s in his presence?

Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean that she can’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more harrowing than she ever could have imagined, she fears she may have endangered herself, Muirin, and the baby. Will she be able to put things right and save the woman she loves before it’s too late, or will someone have to pay for Jean’s actions with their life?

• ISBN10: 0593594592
• ISBN13: 9780593594599
• Publish Date: 9 April 2024
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dell
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593594599

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Jean has spent the last few years working hard to change her reputation in the small town she calls home. As one of the few midwives around, there's no denying there's a need for her. Yet there's always that lingering fear the town will turn on her.

One night, while staying in her isolated house, she hears a strange cry. What – or rather, who – she finds will change Jean's life as she knows it. She knows this is something she should walk away from, but she just can't do it.

My Review:

Oh wow. A Sweet Sting of Saltis so compellingly and beautifully written. If you like a rich blend of historical fantasy, romance, and local lore, this is the book for you. Also, it's a must read if you love selkies or the original tale (The Selkie Wife).

This book will make you feel SO MUCH. It's complex, dark, and hopeful all in one. And yes, Jean is one of those characters you want to bundle up and protect (sometimes from herself – she's one of those characters that doesn't always think her decisions through).

There's no denying that A Sweet Sting of Salt is a slow build. As such, the pacing is on the slower side. I can easily see readers loving or hating that, so keep that in mind when deciding if you want to pick it up. Personally, I enjoyed the way the story slowly ramped up.

I would urge an ounce of caution before diving into A Sweet Sting of Salt – check out a list of trigger warnings (either mine or a more comprehensive list) if you're at all worried.

Highlights:
Historical Fiction
Selkies
LGBT – F/F
Retelling

Trigger Warnings:
Homophobia
Containment
Animal Death

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[chymerra]

A Sweet Sting of Salt is the second book in a series of four books that have made my April must-read list. I was initially caught by the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?). But when I read the blurb, I was captivated. I haven’t read many retellings of The Selkie Wife and was curious how this retelling was. Well, I am happy to say that I loved this book.

The main storyline of A Sweet Sting of Salt centers around Jean (a young midwife), Muirin (the mysterious wife of her neighbor), their developing relationship, and the mystery of how Muirin came to be with Tobias (the neighbor). This well-written, gut-wrenching, and engaging storyline kept me glued to the story.

Jean was quickly one of my favorite characters in the book. As a midwife, she assisted women in the town and outlying areas with their pregnancies. But she didn’t have many friends due to her forced outing as a lesbian by her lover/best friend’s mother five years earlier. Her loneliness, discomfort, and sadness was palpable. After helping Muirin give birth and keeping her at her house, I could see Jean getting attached. And the struggle to keep away from Muirin was real, even when Tobias started threatening her on her land. But Jean wouldn’t let Tobias get the best of her and was determined to help Muirin.

Muirin was my other favorite character in the book. Despite her language barrier (she spoke Gaelic), she could communicate enough with Jean to let her know something was wrong at home. She didn’t bother hiding her feelings for Jean (they were apparent from the beginning). She was sweet, sassy, and very protective. Her love for Jean and her baby and her yearning for freedom was also palpable.

I want to mention Tobias since he is a significant character in the book. I had mixed feelings about him. On one hand, I was disgusted by what he did to Muirin and Jean. But on the other hand, I couldn’t help but pity him. His upbringing (which was chaotic and abusive) directly contributed to his capturing Muirin. He had this fantasy of having the perfect family. But the cracks started when Jean visited and spread after Jean’s ex’s mother told Tobias about Jean. The state of his mental health slowly deteriorated after that. His stalking of Jean and killing of her goat, Honey, was a small glimpse into his mind. What broke him was when Jean found Muirin’s pelt, and they left the house (after it caught on fire). I do not doubt in my mind that he would have killed Jean by the pond if Muirin hadn’t done what she did.

The LGBT angle was interesting. I liked seeing Jean, Muirin, and Lauri have so much love and support from their family and friends. Heck, before Jean met Muirin and after her ex left, Lauri’s mother tried to set her up with her Native relatives. It was refreshing.

The fantasy angle is kept in the background until the end of the book (when Muirin gets her pelt back). I liked that Muirin, through her uncle, explained everything. I also loved that Jean wasn’t as freaked out as I thought she would be.

The epilogue of A Sweet Sting of Salt made this book. I liked seeing what everyone was doing five years in the future. It was a HEA that made me smile.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Rose Sutherland for allowing me to read and review this ARC of a Sweet Sting of Salt. All opinions stated in this review are mine.