Salt & Broom

By: Sharon Lynn Fisher

Narrated by: Elizabeth Bower, Tim Bruce

“Fans of Jane Eyre will go feral for this.”—The Everygirl

Salt and broom, make this room

Safe and tight, against the night.

Trunks packed with potions and cures, Jane Aire sets out on a crisp, clear morning in October to face the greatest challenge of her sheltered girls’-school existence. A shadow lies over Thornfield Hall and its reclusive master, Edward Rochester. And he’s hired her only as a last resort.

Jane stumbles again and again as she tries to establish a rapport with her prickly new employer, but he becomes the least of her worries as a mysterious force seems to work against her. The threats mount around both Jane and Rochester—who’s becoming more intriguing and appealing to her by the day. Jane begins to fear her herb healing and protective charms may not be enough to save the man she’s growing to love from a threat darker and more dangerous than either of them imagined.

©2023 Sharon Lynn Fisher (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Narrating the brief interludes from Edward's point of view, Tim Bruce captures his broodiness. Elizabeth Bower, who expertly narrates the majority of this supernatural gothic romance, transports listeners to the countryside of Victorian England. It's not surprising that Bower ably brings the schoolmistress to life. Easily differentiating among the various characters, she keeps listeners immersed in the story.”—AudioFile Magazine

“Deftly narrated by the talented team of Tim Bruce and Elizabeth Bower…original, memorable, and unreservedly recommended for…historical and romantic fantasy novels fans.”—Midwest Book Review

“Chapters swap between Jane and Mr. Rochester's points of view, with narration by Elizabeth Bower and Tim Bruce. Bower and Bruce bring excellent voices to these classic characters, with an appropriately stubborn, outspoken Jane and stuffy, restrained Mr. Rochester. Fans of magical retellings will delight in Jane's newfound powers in this blend of witchy gothic romance and supernatural cozy mystery. Share with listeners who enjoyed the similar setting and mystery in B.R. Myers's A Dreadful Splendor.”—Library Journal

Storyline

I absolutely loved this storyline. It is definitely a twist of a renown story. The performance of storytellers was awesome.

Jane Eyre meets witchcraft and it’s awesome!

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classics and this book was everything that I hoped first in a retelling!

A Romance Wrapped in a Gothic Mystery

This was a beautiful story based on, and featuring some of the characters of, “Jane Eyre.”

There is a mystery at Thornwood surrounding the wife of the enigmatic Mr Rochester but it’s not at all what you might expect. Young Jane Eyre, a witch, has been hired from Lowood School to find out why a shadow hangs over Thornwood Estate causing mayhem and terror. What she eventually learns is highly shocking.

The dual narration is really well done and brings this delightful derivation to life.

Very enjoyable listen

I really enjoyed this book. It was low on drama and had a sweet romance. The MC were very likable and the plot interesting. I recommend this book if you want a cozy mystery.

Atmospheric and Beguiling

I do enjoy retellings. Although I have not yet read Jane Eyre, I didn’t think it was necessary to appreciate this retelling. This was a delightful tale, with an atmospheric setting and a beguiling heroine in Miss Aire.
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Each character came to life vividly!

I enjoyed the characters, their portrayal made me feel as if the were indeed speaking from the past. I hated it to end!

Mysterious and witchy

Good book that was easy to follow and I was always excited to listen to. Definitely took me out of the real world and into a perfectly magical and creepy world.

What a Delightful Book..!!!

I was thrilled beyond measure by this book.. it was an absolute delight that I thoroughly enjoyed

enjoyable reimaging

3.75⭐️
Audio: 4.25⭐️

I found this witchy version of Jane Eyre pleasant and spirited. I appreciate that Miss Aire is recognizable to her namesake. She is just as intelligent, kind, and resilient, but the slight modernization of the story, including Jane’s self-reliant career, adds outspokenness and unconventionality. Like many reimaginings, this one somewhat relies on familiarity with Rochester to imbue him with more personality and bolster Jane's quick enchantment with him because the romance is very insta-love. Rochester’s gruff nature is toned down, and there is more telling than showing that he is prickly. He and Jane are quickly intrigued by one another and spend a lot of time together alone.

However, the story takes place in a compressed time frame so a slow build to their attachment isn’t possible. The incorporation of Edward’s POV, the extent and worsening of the problem, and the fact that ppl got married with even less knowledge of their partner or involvement of feelings makes it work. I enjoyed the mystery, the changes in Jane’s background, and how well Fisher navigates and incorporates the constraints of time and place with the independence Jane needs. I also like the crafting of spells though there are times it makes the pace drag.

The secondary characters are utilized well, not so much the setting. Although there is a worsening pall over Thornfield and its residents, all the gothic character of the original is sucked out. Part of this is understandable bc Jane lives in a separate cabin and spends a lot of time scooby-dooing, and Fisher does try to make the woods Jane spends much more time in spooky. She just doesn’t nail the subtle or overt menace that should be present.

Additionally, the rising action towards the climax is a bit sloppy and squanders what little tension it managed to create. There is a “harrowing” confrontation and close call, but the characters reach a checkpoint with relative ease in the second most dangerous scenario there is. At heart, this is a romance whose focus is on love and earthy witchcraft so the danger and its resolution aren’t as well-crafted despite being the plot driver. That being said, this is an entertaining story, and Elizabeth Bower and Tim Bruce’s narration is a good fit for this lovely little addition to the pantheon of Jane Eyre reimaginings.

Perfection

Absolutely loved this book! I wanted it to continue. Highly recommended to all lovers of Jane Aire retellings with a twist of magic.