A Sweet Sting of Salt

A Novel

By: Rose Sutherland

Narrated by: Aven Shore

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?

©2024 Rose Sutherland (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A gorgeous tale of sapphic yearning laced with a slow-building sense of Gothic dread, Sutherland’s captivating debut is an intensely beautiful experience you won’t soon forget.”—Paulette Kennedy, bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain

“For fans of feminist retellings and queer fairy tales, Sutherland’s debut is a must-read.”—Allison Epstein, author of Let the Dead Bury the Dead

“A masterful work, A Sweet Sting of Salt will linger in my imagination as vividly as any bit of ancient folklore, long after the last page.”—Laura R. Samotin, author of The Sins on Their Bones

Wow.

I picked this book on a whim and I was completely blown away. Lush, exciting, romantic. And the reader did such an amazing job.

Will be listening to this again.

great narration

Aven does a terrific job as the voice for this book!!! Deserves so much love!!!

Atmospheric in the Best of Ways—not to miss!

What an achingly beautiful story! More than a retelling, this book hits all the sweet spots that are promised, with a setting that is as much a character as the brave women in its center. And the audio sings, allowing the imagination to run wild.

Meet midwife Jean, who’s had some heartache on the Nova Scotia shores. One night she saves a woman on the seashore about to give birth, a woman who has a strange language, and an even stranger relationship with her brooding and nervous husband. And with that, a retelling is born. A retelling that sees the other side of the selkie wife story, while it shows the many ways life unfolds. An inclusive story that is as believable as it is beautiful. Honestly, I’m reminded of the feelings I had after reading Miller’s The Song of Achilles. Can’t wait for the author’s next offering. Well done.

Exciting and Romantic

The Sweet Sting of Salt is a perilous, exciting, and romantic twist on the Selkie Wife story, diving into domestic violence, othering, and the search for belonging. I loved the 1830s Nova Scotia setting, the characters (especially the seal people), and the complex relationships. Five stars!

Well written - and a satisfying ending

I often feel like the endings of books are rushed or drawn out... this dances that line perfectly. I was left waning for nothing

Outstanding in every way

I binged this book hard! It's well written, incredibly well performed, the story was engaging and I loved the protagonists.

Painfully slow

Someone else described this book as slow building. And it was, painfully slow. I’m sorry to be harsh, but that’s how I felt. Great characters, though.