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.
