A Sweet Sting of Salt

A Novel

By: Rose Sutherland

Narrated by: Aven Shore

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Once a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer reimagining of the classic folktale “The Selkie Wife.”

“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, author of The Witch of Tin Mountain

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

“A Sweet Sting of Salt masterfully combines rich historical detail with an atmospheric, poignant romance between two unforgettable women that will sweep readers off their feet. 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

“Sutherland plunges us into the forbidden desires of nineteenth-century hearts, then rescues us with the deepest kinds of uniting love. Her vibrant depiction of the Nova Scotian shore fills our lungs with salted air and imbues us with a yearning for the sea.”—Gwen Tuinman, author of Unrest

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.