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The Fisherman's Gift
The sea stole him from her. Could it bring him back?
Winter, 1900. A little boy washes up on the beach of a small fishing village in Scotland, barely alive. He bears an uncanny resemblance to teacher Dorothy's son, lost to the sea many years before.
When the village is snowed in, Dorothy agrees to look after the child until he can be returned home. But, as the past rises to meet the present, long-buried secrets in this tight-knit community start to come to light. And Dorothy finds herself thrown together again with the reclusive fisherman Joseph, after years of keeping their distance.
Bursting with tension and tenderness, this is an exquisite love story that delves into the griefs and hopes that can lie behind village gossip.
Winter, 1900. A little boy washes up on the beach of a small fishing village in Scotland, barely alive. He bears an uncanny resemblance to teacher Dorothy's son, lost to the sea many years before.
When the village is snowed in, Dorothy agrees to look after the child until he can be returned home. But, as the past rises to meet the present, long-buried secrets in this tight-knit community start to come to light. And Dorothy finds herself thrown together again with the reclusive fisherman Joseph, after years of keeping their distance.
Bursting with tension and tenderness, this is an exquisite love story that delves into the griefs and hopes that can lie behind village gossip.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2025
188 people are currently reading
12034 people want to read
About the author
Julia R. Kelly
2 books97 followersJulia Kelly has been longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Prize, the Exeter Novel Prize, PenguinWriteNow, and the Bath Novel Award. In 2021 she won the Blue Pencil First Novel Award. Having grown up in a house without television, Julia read anything she could lay her hands on, and as an English teacher, she has tried to pass on her love of stories to the next generation of readers and writers. Since becoming a wheelchair user, Julia has learned to appreciate even more fully the journeys the written word can take us on. She lives in Herefordshire with her partner and between them, they have raised five wonderful children. The Fishersman’s Gift is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 502 reviews
January 30, 2025
A character driven debut that takes a deep dive into difficult topics. 💔
In 1900 a young boy washes ashore in a close knit Scottish fishing village. The young survivor’s sudden appearance brings the past to the surface and the story that unfolds is poignant. The young boy is soon placed under the care of Dorothy the local school teacher and bereaved mother of a son thought drowned many years ago. Taking responsibility for the boy causes Dorothy to take inventory of her emotions and a hard look at the past. The narrative shifts from the current timeline to the past showing pieces of Dorothy’s journey and also that of fellow villagers. Upon her arrival Dorothy wasn’t accepted and was the center of local gossip many times. The locals seem cruel and Dorothy is socially cold so the two don’t mesh well. However, instead of the author making the villagers one dimensional “meanies” she scrapes away the social preening and shows characters who are each struggling to reach toward anything to improve the quality of their lives.
Will these flawed characters ever learn the power of an extended hand or kindness?
A character study of the many facets of forgiveness.
Sadness and growth are thick within these pages, making this a worthwhile debut.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing an Advance Reading Copy for review. All opinions are my own.
In 1900 a young boy washes ashore in a close knit Scottish fishing village. The young survivor’s sudden appearance brings the past to the surface and the story that unfolds is poignant. The young boy is soon placed under the care of Dorothy the local school teacher and bereaved mother of a son thought drowned many years ago. Taking responsibility for the boy causes Dorothy to take inventory of her emotions and a hard look at the past. The narrative shifts from the current timeline to the past showing pieces of Dorothy’s journey and also that of fellow villagers. Upon her arrival Dorothy wasn’t accepted and was the center of local gossip many times. The locals seem cruel and Dorothy is socially cold so the two don’t mesh well. However, instead of the author making the villagers one dimensional “meanies” she scrapes away the social preening and shows characters who are each struggling to reach toward anything to improve the quality of their lives.
Will these flawed characters ever learn the power of an extended hand or kindness?
A character study of the many facets of forgiveness.
Sadness and growth are thick within these pages, making this a worthwhile debut.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing an Advance Reading Copy for review. All opinions are my own.
February 27, 2025
'...when you talk, you find things out, things about yourself, like the creatures in the rock pools you hadn't known were there until the sea let you see them'.
Skerry Sands is a remote Scottish fishing village, often cut off by tempestuous weather and isolated by the sea that gives the villagers their living. When Dorothy arrives, from Edinburgh, to be their new school teacher, it's clear to her that she'll never fit into this tight knit community. Even after nearly two decades of living there. Even after, losing her child to the very sea that sustains them. It's a cold place that has frozen Dorothy. This winter, however, the storm brings something more than snow, it brings them a little boy. Eerily this boy seems to be exactly like the one she lost. Although logic tells her that's impossible - too many years have passed - emotionally it cracks her heart. The thing is, will this crack liberate her or break her? When she's asked to temporarily look after the boy, in her home, it seems as though everything about this boy tugs another thread from her memory; the villagers' memories.
'The Fisherman's Gift' is a dual time, multi POV story, made up of small chapters; flitting from what is to what was, seamlessly. There is a pervading sadness, heartache and loneliness that is as thick and cold as the snow that encases the village. Misunderstanding and isolation are central to the storyline, which I must admit got to me at times, but it serves to highlight the damage that can be wrought in people, relationships, and communities. Ultimately, however, this is a heart-warming story about finding your way through hurt and grief to gratitude and compassion. When we open our hearts, we open our minds.
I enjoyed this historical fiction story, with its sprinkling of old superstitions and faerie folk tales. It reminded me how liberating the truth is and how it's far better to confront issues, rather than burying them, only to have them fester.
'Why is it...that we only ever remember the things we did wrong'?
Skerry Sands is a remote Scottish fishing village, often cut off by tempestuous weather and isolated by the sea that gives the villagers their living. When Dorothy arrives, from Edinburgh, to be their new school teacher, it's clear to her that she'll never fit into this tight knit community. Even after nearly two decades of living there. Even after, losing her child to the very sea that sustains them. It's a cold place that has frozen Dorothy. This winter, however, the storm brings something more than snow, it brings them a little boy. Eerily this boy seems to be exactly like the one she lost. Although logic tells her that's impossible - too many years have passed - emotionally it cracks her heart. The thing is, will this crack liberate her or break her? When she's asked to temporarily look after the boy, in her home, it seems as though everything about this boy tugs another thread from her memory; the villagers' memories.
'The Fisherman's Gift' is a dual time, multi POV story, made up of small chapters; flitting from what is to what was, seamlessly. There is a pervading sadness, heartache and loneliness that is as thick and cold as the snow that encases the village. Misunderstanding and isolation are central to the storyline, which I must admit got to me at times, but it serves to highlight the damage that can be wrought in people, relationships, and communities. Ultimately, however, this is a heart-warming story about finding your way through hurt and grief to gratitude and compassion. When we open our hearts, we open our minds.
I enjoyed this historical fiction story, with its sprinkling of old superstitions and faerie folk tales. It reminded me how liberating the truth is and how it's far better to confront issues, rather than burying them, only to have them fester.
'Why is it...that we only ever remember the things we did wrong'?
April 25, 2025
Set in 1900 Skerry – a small Scottish fishing village, where a child’s arrival, washed up at shore, shakes this tight-knit community.
Dorothy takes the temporary care of the child. Despite the resemblance, she knows it can’t be her child lost to waters years earlier, same age as this boy now.
The story goes back in time, and at first, is narrated between two women. Dorothy when she comes to this tiny village as a teacher and how she is mocked by other women for no reason and how isolated she feels. And Agnes, who has her eyes on Joseph, but Joseph has his eyes on the newcomer.
The past narrative of Dorothy and Joseph reveals touchingly the story of Moses, Dorothy’s son, and who the father is. The present narrative uncovers the story of the mysterious boy.
There is much more to the storyline, uncovering human relationships, how we assume things, instead of asking questions. How those assumptions can lead to wrong decisions, lasting lifetime. There is also mother’s grief of losing a child. The backstories are poignantly woven, touching on human emotions.
As the story progresses, it moves to other people’s narrative and it continues to switch between present and past time. It may sound overwhelming with different points of view and two timelines but it’s not. It’s very clearly narrated.
The storyline is absorbing. The prose is splendid. The chapters are short, making the pages flip quickly.
It might sound as a sad story in its entirety but there is something heart-warming about discovering oneself, finding the way through grief, opening oneself once again to others. And what one receives in return when becoming vulnerable, can bring rewards one may not have even imagined.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dorothy takes the temporary care of the child. Despite the resemblance, she knows it can’t be her child lost to waters years earlier, same age as this boy now.
The story goes back in time, and at first, is narrated between two women. Dorothy when she comes to this tiny village as a teacher and how she is mocked by other women for no reason and how isolated she feels. And Agnes, who has her eyes on Joseph, but Joseph has his eyes on the newcomer.
The past narrative of Dorothy and Joseph reveals touchingly the story of Moses, Dorothy’s son, and who the father is. The present narrative uncovers the story of the mysterious boy.
There is much more to the storyline, uncovering human relationships, how we assume things, instead of asking questions. How those assumptions can lead to wrong decisions, lasting lifetime. There is also mother’s grief of losing a child. The backstories are poignantly woven, touching on human emotions.
As the story progresses, it moves to other people’s narrative and it continues to switch between present and past time. It may sound overwhelming with different points of view and two timelines but it’s not. It’s very clearly narrated.
The storyline is absorbing. The prose is splendid. The chapters are short, making the pages flip quickly.
It might sound as a sad story in its entirety but there is something heart-warming about discovering oneself, finding the way through grief, opening oneself once again to others. And what one receives in return when becoming vulnerable, can bring rewards one may not have even imagined.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2025
A small Scottish village has secrets, and Dorothy has been keeping one for many years, but the biggest secret and puzzle is did someone have anything to do with the disappearance/drowning of Dorothy’s son, Moses.
When another child who looks like Moses washes up many years later, it brings back all the questions for the village and the emotions for Dorothy.
Dorothy is asked to take care of the child and says no at first - she knows she should help out, but she can’t.
But then she realizes she needs to help out the people in the village and the child. It turns out to be good for her.
The characters were portrayed perfectly for that time period and setting even though some characters caused Dorothy to make decisions she really didn't want to make.
THE FISHERMAN'S GIFT is not an uplifting read, but it is beautifully written, has a pull-you-in storyline, and a main character you don't know if you want to feel sorry for or be angry with for the choices she makes.
A moving, thought- provoking debut that may have you thinking about decisions you have made and/or ones you may make. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
When another child who looks like Moses washes up many years later, it brings back all the questions for the village and the emotions for Dorothy.
Dorothy is asked to take care of the child and says no at first - she knows she should help out, but she can’t.
But then she realizes she needs to help out the people in the village and the child. It turns out to be good for her.
The characters were portrayed perfectly for that time period and setting even though some characters caused Dorothy to make decisions she really didn't want to make.
THE FISHERMAN'S GIFT is not an uplifting read, but it is beautifully written, has a pull-you-in storyline, and a main character you don't know if you want to feel sorry for or be angry with for the choices she makes.
A moving, thought- provoking debut that may have you thinking about decisions you have made and/or ones you may make. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 10, 2025
Enthralling, touching and inspiring, this impressive historical fiction debut has a touch of magical realism and explores grief, healing, immorality, redemption and second chances. Kelly’s wave of narrative carries us up through the crests of joy and plunges us into the depths of sorrow, a voyage as beautiful as it is profound.
(play the song 🎵“Anchor” by Novo Amor🎵 with this)
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
It is the 1900s in the fishing village of Skerry where, after a storm, fisherman Joseph finds a boy washed up on shore bearing a striking resemblance to the late son of the schoolmistress Mrs Dorothy Gray. Her son Moses was swept out to sea some 20 or so years ago. It is Winter and they must wait until Spring before finding his family. The Minister asks Dorothy to look after the boy until then, and she agrees.
This stirs up recollections of bygone days: when Dorothy first came to Skerry and met Joseph, whom she now does not speak to, and married William. Now, their paths cross and with it all their feelings and tension resurface. Through the gossip of the ever-judgemental villagers and memories of the past, secrets of what happened the night Moses disappeared are revealed.
But the child does so many things eerily similar to Moses it is almost like he *is* him. The villagers worry: she is treating and shaping the boy into her son, becoming quite possessive of him. Has God sent him back as a second chance? Or has the Devil appeared to punish her for the wrongs she did?
This is told from the third-person present-tense POV of Dorothy and Joseph, as well as other people from the village: Agnes, Alaistair the Minister and Mrs Brown.
OVERALL OPINIONS
As a Scotswoman, I was thrilled to read this and this did not disappoint. I highly recommend you read this during a storm, like me – it was truly atmospheric! All the fear and tension poured from its pages and I was entirely enraptured.
ㅤ⚓ the writing ⚓
The title The Fisherman’s Gift is perfect. Not only does it emphasise Joseph being an important role in this story, but it is also symbolic of a few things. There are the literal gifts he has for both children: the toy boat for Moses (one he never gets the chance to give); the other the toy plover for Johan. But the greatest gift he gave was the child itself.
Through the excellent use of dual timeline , shifting from Now (the boy washing up on shore) to Then (Dorothy first arriving in Skerry), we are able to piece together everything that happens. The strange parallels between Johan and Moses help to add that seamless transition from past to present. It also presents irony: for example, Agnes’ POV from the past hoping that Joseph will finally see her as a woman and want her, when we know from the Now that she settles and marries Scott instead.
Very interestingly, one section is a non-linear structure : we get Dorothy’s wedding, the pregnancy, the birth – but then a very drastic shift to sometime after her wedding, where there is the huge reveal. Dorothy’s life goes from looking fine until it isn’t. It makes the narrator, just like the gossip within the village, an unreliable source and hones in on the devastation of everything.
While predictable (I had the secret about Moses worked out from the first chapter), this was an enjoyable read. There were clues along the way that were very intriguing and gave a glimpse into the future, dropping the right breadcrumbs through gossip by the townsfolk or the overall narrative that makes you want to know what happens, and how it does. The most fascinating element was William that when he leaves, he doesn’t undo the wedding knot as “he will not bring more shame to her” – what shame? I did have my suspicions about it though.
ㅤ🌊 the irony 🌊
There were some incredible aspects in this book that make this a worthwhile read, which includes the very clever ironies.
The main thing is in some of the names , alone:
🧸Moses is swept away by the sea which contrasts Moses in the Bible, who (while he is also separated from his mother) is saved from water and parts the Red Sea, showing he is in control. The sea is this Moses’ enemy.
🎣Joseph in the Bible is a father and protector. In this book, Joseph directly contradicts both roles as he does not know the former aspect and he does not manage the latter, being unable to protect Moses from what happened.
♀️Dorothy means “God’s gift”, something she does not believe, considering all her misfortunes. Agnes means “pure” which is ironic considering her thoughts and treatment towards Dorothy is not. There is a very cruel streak about Agnes.
Then there are ironies in the narrative : like how Jane is protective of William because she lost 4 brothers and doesn’t want to lose him either – but all her struggles are in vain; and Dorothy would not run away with Joseph but for this new child she does so in a heartbeat.
Dorothy’s mother still has a hold over/influence on Dorothy, despite her being dead for years. She ironically keeps her mother alive in her mind because she was so used to being judged by her she cannot escape the things she would say.
ㅤ🐟 the symbolism 🐟
Firstly, the symbolism through the birds , the black seabird cormorant and the plover, tell the story.
Cormorant : Dorothy sees one the day she spends time with Joseph, who remarks that they are the spirit of those lost at sea, which accounts for it showing up later just before she takes on the job of looking after Johan (almost like Moses is giving her an approval). They are generally considered a bad omen and are linked to sins like greed and gluttony, which is all a great foreshadowing of what is to come (respectively: what happens to Moses, and Dorothy and Joseph’s lust for one another despite her being married).
Plover : Dorothy and Johan rescue a young plover after discovering it in the snow with an injured wing. Plovers are believed to be spiritual guides encouraging people to appreciate the moment and beauty around them. Dorothy certainly does as she watched Johan look after the bird.
Not only are they opposite in colour (the cormorant being black and the plover white) but they also dwell in different places (cormorants live in water, plovers on the shore), like Joseph and Dorothy respectively.
We then come to the oak tree Dorothy and Joseph shelter under. Oak trees, because of their sturdiness, are often symbolic for strength, stability, and sometimes fertility. They can also represent the passage of time due to how long they live. This all harkens to the fact Dorothy and Joseph want this sort of relationship for themselves: something strong, stable, will last.
The lucky salt Dorothy accidentally knocks over. Its function is to “bless home and hearth, man and wife, child to come”. With the accidental breaking of this, no longer is evil warded off. Again, it provides brilliant foreshadowing as many misfortunes will happen after – whether or not it is from this alone is another matter. This is also ironic as this is meant to be a good thing to have in the house but breaking it brings bad luck. Their marriage is cursed before it has ever really begun – and as we discover more about William we discover it was doomed not to work.
Mrs Brown herself is an interesting symbol: she knows everyone else’s business, but nobody knows her. We don’t even know her first name – which is arguably intentional. The closest anyone comes to truly knowing her is Dorothy, though she doesn’t know it as Mrs Brown talks about that she has a “friend”, not her, who goes through issues.
ㅤ🦀 the Scottish setting 🦀
Though set in the 1900s, this book is timeless as the issues in this book are still relevant today: like losing children and grieving, abuse and committing adultery.
The village in this book, Skerry, I believe is a reference to if not the fishing hamlet Skerray in Sutherland in the north of Scotland, as they are rather similar. It would make sense, as far as the plot is concerned with the boy Johan being from Norway, if you look at a map you can quite easily imagine his journey (albeit a far one).
Other than the proper mention of location twice – and the rather Scottish names like Alaistair, Agnes, Scott, Jeanie, Lorna and William – this really could be set anywhere! Nobody really talks about any Scottish accent except Dorothy’s Edinburgh one. This could be intentional, to emphasise everyone else is the same but she’s an outsider.
ㅤ🐚 the power of gossip 🐚
Throughout the book, the perspective often shifts to the people who gossip from Mrs Brown’s shop, which puts ideas in our heads about what the story will be. We the reader are influenced by these exchanges. I did wonder about if Joseph did something in a fit of rage and the idea wasn’t there until the ladies said so. And this proves to show gossip can be a terrible thing.
It also greatly affects our main characters Dorothy and Joseph: if people hadn’t seen and spread rumours and judged, none of this would have happened – especially their misunderstandings. Ironically, if they had just talked to each other rather than listened to rumours and avoided, they would have been together long before. It is only because everyone (including Jeanie, Agnes’ mother) tells her Joseph and Agnes seem to be an item that she is heartbrokenly dissuaded from interacting with him.
It is only when a character actually communicates privately to another character that others heal or come to realise something about their own lives, or finally understand the other person. One such example is Agnes’ unburdening to Alistair which makes him realise he has taken his wife and child for granted: after years of struggling to have a child, he loathes the noise and looks to escape from it. Now, he is compelled to go back home as soon as possible. And Agnes herself of course feels the weight of guilt lifted from her shoulders.
The scene between Dorothy and Mrs Brown where she opens up about her worries and struggles was an emotional and incredibly powerful moment. They both help each other, though Dorothy doesn’t know it, heal. I loved that so much! I’m so glad everyone comes to a better understanding of other people.
ㅤ🫧 the hostility 🫧
Pretty much everyone in the village dislikes Dorothy, viewing her as a threat as she comes in and disrupts their way of life. There is an interesting dynamic between Agnes and Dorothy: Agnes wants to be like Dorothy (seeing as Joseph is drawn to her) and Dorothy wishes she could fit in with other people, like Agnes. Agnes wants children but can’t. The two things she wants – Joseph and children – she cannot have, and blames Dorothy for it all (unfairly for the latter). It is a great pity that two women who have been through so much (Agnes receiving abuse from her father; Dorothy receiving abuse from her mother) who, because they both like the same man, unfortunately become enemies.
Agnes and Dorothy break the cycle of their toxic parents: Agnes leaves Scott, an abusive man, unlike her own mother Jeanie who stayed with Matthew; Dorothy becomes a better caring mother/motherly figure than her own mother was. I really wanted a moment between them where they speak to each other.
Mrs Brown resents Dorothy having a child and not treating him right, just like how Agnes feels about it, because she has also had several miscarriages.
ㅤ🪸 the second chance 🪸
Second chance is one of the largest themes in this story. Fate has given her a second chance by giving her Johan who is so similar to Moses. She can do everything all over again, but better – in fact, she is determined to: she says to herself “it must be different” and this is her mindset for not just the bird but for the whole situation.
Looking after the hoglet in the past with Moses goes wrong but looking after the plover with Johan goes right. She becomes a better motherly figure to the boy, learning from her mistakes in the past. And things with Joseph in the past went wrong but she is determined to try and make this right now.
<< Positives >>
🠚 A great character-driven story where they are such complex and realistic people that you keep changing from loving them to hating them. Dorothy and Agnes are great examples of this.
🠚 A beautiful and moving plot, I was rooting for a good ending and was so scared and eager to find out what happened
🠚 An intriguing cover
🠚 The use of non-linear narrative and symbolism to tell the story and provide appropriate foreshadowing and plot twists
🠚 Showcases how powerful misinformation/rumours can be
<< Negatives >>
🠚 Joseph and Dorothy’s kiss is so quick, I would have loved more description and build-up
🠚 I needed more scenes between Joseph and Dorothy in the Now part of the book, where they open up again, and smile etc.
🠚 Descriptions were basic at times, though the complexity of the plot and character makes up to a considerable extent.
🠚 I would have loved a conversation between them at the very end of the book. Of course, it ends on a very hopeful note but I would have loved to hear what he had to say to her. Or at least have the Epilogue as another chapter and then contain something else as an Epilogue
🠚 I wish there had been one scene or exchange between Dorothy and Agnes, though there is the positivity of them working together
🠚 The boy’s “garbled language” – you’d have thought Dorothy of all people would know he was speaking a different language altogether, though I understand she is determined this child is Moses sent back to her
🠚 The chapter with Moses’ POV feels like an unnecessary chapter in a lot of ways. It makes the mood grim again. I do love that he thought of both of them though so I understand why it was placed there - all the things his mother taught him, the fact he says “I need my mam”, thinks of how heartbroken she'll be, and the way he thinks of Joseph as he wedges his foot in the cleft of the rock, because he remembers Joseph saying the sea is a dangerous thing
🠚 I would have loved if more Scottish references had made its way into the book: the food, the accent, expressions. Some characters could hsve sounded more Scottish than others
🠚 Rab the dog is only mentioned a few times, I wish there had been a little more of him
CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Dorothy꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ “Never wearing quite the right thing, never quite fitting in” – I’m glad she eventually doesn’t care about what people think, and people accept her by the end. She ceases thinking of how ashamed her mother would have been if she could see her now: wearing that green dress, sleeping in Mrs Brown’s shop after one too many whiskeys. Johan was the best thing that happened to her, he makes her laugh and she becomes a better person.
-ˋˏ ꒰ Joseph꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ Joseph is so sweet and kind, it makes you wish things had worked out sooner. I am a hopeless romantic so the fact he has only ever had eyes for Dorothy even now despite everything, is lovely.
FAV QUOTES
• Because of her, love has escaped him.
• she can listen to the sound of the sea, washing in and out on the shore she’s not yet seen. She imagines it, black under the night sky, the waves catching the stars, till at last she falls into a deep sleep.
• Dorothy casts her eye over the villagers, the shuffling, nudging children, the families and couples, all the people she will have to learn to live with, telling herself that she isn’t seeking out one person in particular, the fisherman whose hand had shielded his eyes, the other raised in greeting, for a moment just the two of them on the Sands and nothing else.
• It is the fisherman. Beads of rain cling to his jersey and hair. In the fading light and drizzle, she has the impression of warm brown eyes that show concern and something more that makes her look away.
• ‘Look,’ she exclaims and he looks and, up above, the light is such that a flock of birds flying out to sea glitters like stars in a constellation of flashing wings and rippling light. ‘It’s like the sun on the sea,’ and they look out then at the sun sparkling on the waves in just the same way, and he doesn’t want the moment to end
• she sinks further into her chair, tightening her hands around her cup of tea, steadying fingers which are trembling because the past is at the door again, banging against the timber, louder and more insistent, trying to get in.
• they cling to each other, their faces, mouths, hair, hands, legs entangled. They cling to each other like they are lost, like they are found.
• “There was no one for me but you, not ever.”
• How much she has learned from the simple, uncomplicated love of a child, about letting go.
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Julia Kelly, Harvill Secker, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way. A huge thank you to the Penguin Vintage Influencer program for providing me with a hardback copy.
(play the song 🎵“Anchor” by Novo Amor🎵 with this)
she likes catching his smile as she turns away from him… When he’s not there, she imagines engaging him in conversation, being light, making him laugh, but when she’s with him, her heart beats too fast and the words fail on her lips.
But she knows in her heart that they both like this dance, his warmth and her coolness, her there in her navy dress now, pinched in at the waist, hair falling loose over her shoulders.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
It is the 1900s in the fishing village of Skerry where, after a storm, fisherman Joseph finds a boy washed up on shore bearing a striking resemblance to the late son of the schoolmistress Mrs Dorothy Gray. Her son Moses was swept out to sea some 20 or so years ago. It is Winter and they must wait until Spring before finding his family. The Minister asks Dorothy to look after the boy until then, and she agrees.
This stirs up recollections of bygone days: when Dorothy first came to Skerry and met Joseph, whom she now does not speak to, and married William. Now, their paths cross and with it all their feelings and tension resurface. Through the gossip of the ever-judgemental villagers and memories of the past, secrets of what happened the night Moses disappeared are revealed.
But the child does so many things eerily similar to Moses it is almost like he *is* him. The villagers worry: she is treating and shaping the boy into her son, becoming quite possessive of him. Has God sent him back as a second chance? Or has the Devil appeared to punish her for the wrongs she did?
She had hoped the years would set down layers of silence, of forgetting.
But she knows the world doesn’t work like that. Bodies wash in on the tide years later. Wrecks disgorge their treasure. What was forgotten, returns, when the sea is ready.
This is told from the third-person present-tense POV of Dorothy and Joseph, as well as other people from the village: Agnes, Alaistair the Minister and Mrs Brown.
OVERALL OPINIONS
As a Scotswoman, I was thrilled to read this and this did not disappoint. I highly recommend you read this during a storm, like me – it was truly atmospheric! All the fear and tension poured from its pages and I was entirely enraptured.
ㅤ⚓ the writing ⚓
The title The Fisherman’s Gift is perfect. Not only does it emphasise Joseph being an important role in this story, but it is also symbolic of a few things. There are the literal gifts he has for both children: the toy boat for Moses (one he never gets the chance to give); the other the toy plover for Johan. But the greatest gift he gave was the child itself.
Through the excellent use of dual timeline , shifting from Now (the boy washing up on shore) to Then (Dorothy first arriving in Skerry), we are able to piece together everything that happens. The strange parallels between Johan and Moses help to add that seamless transition from past to present. It also presents irony: for example, Agnes’ POV from the past hoping that Joseph will finally see her as a woman and want her, when we know from the Now that she settles and marries Scott instead.
Very interestingly, one section is a non-linear structure : we get Dorothy’s wedding, the pregnancy, the birth – but then a very drastic shift to sometime after her wedding, where there is the huge reveal. Dorothy’s life goes from looking fine until it isn’t. It makes the narrator, just like the gossip within the village, an unreliable source and hones in on the devastation of everything.
While predictable (I had the secret about Moses worked out from the first chapter), this was an enjoyable read. There were clues along the way that were very intriguing and gave a glimpse into the future, dropping the right breadcrumbs through gossip by the townsfolk or the overall narrative that makes you want to know what happens, and how it does. The most fascinating element was William that when he leaves, he doesn’t undo the wedding knot as “he will not bring more shame to her” – what shame? I did have my suspicions about it though.
ㅤ🌊 the irony 🌊
There were some incredible aspects in this book that make this a worthwhile read, which includes the very clever ironies.
The main thing is in some of the names , alone:
🧸Moses is swept away by the sea which contrasts Moses in the Bible, who (while he is also separated from his mother) is saved from water and parts the Red Sea, showing he is in control. The sea is this Moses’ enemy.
🎣Joseph in the Bible is a father and protector. In this book, Joseph directly contradicts both roles as he does not know the former aspect and he does not manage the latter, being unable to protect Moses from what happened.
♀️Dorothy means “God’s gift”, something she does not believe, considering all her misfortunes. Agnes means “pure” which is ironic considering her thoughts and treatment towards Dorothy is not. There is a very cruel streak about Agnes.
Then there are ironies in the narrative : like how Jane is protective of William because she lost 4 brothers and doesn’t want to lose him either – but all her struggles are in vain; and Dorothy would not run away with Joseph but for this new child she does so in a heartbeat.
Dorothy’s mother still has a hold over/influence on Dorothy, despite her being dead for years. She ironically keeps her mother alive in her mind because she was so used to being judged by her she cannot escape the things she would say.
ㅤ🐟 the symbolism 🐟
Firstly, the symbolism through the birds , the black seabird cormorant and the plover, tell the story.
Cormorant : Dorothy sees one the day she spends time with Joseph, who remarks that they are the spirit of those lost at sea, which accounts for it showing up later just before she takes on the job of looking after Johan (almost like Moses is giving her an approval). They are generally considered a bad omen and are linked to sins like greed and gluttony, which is all a great foreshadowing of what is to come (respectively: what happens to Moses, and Dorothy and Joseph’s lust for one another despite her being married).
Plover : Dorothy and Johan rescue a young plover after discovering it in the snow with an injured wing. Plovers are believed to be spiritual guides encouraging people to appreciate the moment and beauty around them. Dorothy certainly does as she watched Johan look after the bird.
Not only are they opposite in colour (the cormorant being black and the plover white) but they also dwell in different places (cormorants live in water, plovers on the shore), like Joseph and Dorothy respectively.
We then come to the oak tree Dorothy and Joseph shelter under. Oak trees, because of their sturdiness, are often symbolic for strength, stability, and sometimes fertility. They can also represent the passage of time due to how long they live. This all harkens to the fact Dorothy and Joseph want this sort of relationship for themselves: something strong, stable, will last.
The lucky salt Dorothy accidentally knocks over. Its function is to “bless home and hearth, man and wife, child to come”. With the accidental breaking of this, no longer is evil warded off. Again, it provides brilliant foreshadowing as many misfortunes will happen after – whether or not it is from this alone is another matter. This is also ironic as this is meant to be a good thing to have in the house but breaking it brings bad luck. Their marriage is cursed before it has ever really begun – and as we discover more about William we discover it was doomed not to work.
Mrs Brown herself is an interesting symbol: she knows everyone else’s business, but nobody knows her. We don’t even know her first name – which is arguably intentional. The closest anyone comes to truly knowing her is Dorothy, though she doesn’t know it as Mrs Brown talks about that she has a “friend”, not her, who goes through issues.
ㅤ🦀 the Scottish setting 🦀
Though set in the 1900s, this book is timeless as the issues in this book are still relevant today: like losing children and grieving, abuse and committing adultery.
The village in this book, Skerry, I believe is a reference to if not the fishing hamlet Skerray in Sutherland in the north of Scotland, as they are rather similar. It would make sense, as far as the plot is concerned with the boy Johan being from Norway, if you look at a map you can quite easily imagine his journey (albeit a far one).
Other than the proper mention of location twice – and the rather Scottish names like Alaistair, Agnes, Scott, Jeanie, Lorna and William – this really could be set anywhere! Nobody really talks about any Scottish accent except Dorothy’s Edinburgh one. This could be intentional, to emphasise everyone else is the same but she’s an outsider.
ㅤ🐚 the power of gossip 🐚
Throughout the book, the perspective often shifts to the people who gossip from Mrs Brown’s shop, which puts ideas in our heads about what the story will be. We the reader are influenced by these exchanges. I did wonder about if Joseph did something in a fit of rage and the idea wasn’t there until the ladies said so. And this proves to show gossip can be a terrible thing.
It also greatly affects our main characters Dorothy and Joseph: if people hadn’t seen and spread rumours and judged, none of this would have happened – especially their misunderstandings. Ironically, if they had just talked to each other rather than listened to rumours and avoided, they would have been together long before. It is only because everyone (including Jeanie, Agnes’ mother) tells her Joseph and Agnes seem to be an item that she is heartbrokenly dissuaded from interacting with him.
It is only when a character actually communicates privately to another character that others heal or come to realise something about their own lives, or finally understand the other person. One such example is Agnes’ unburdening to Alistair which makes him realise he has taken his wife and child for granted: after years of struggling to have a child, he loathes the noise and looks to escape from it. Now, he is compelled to go back home as soon as possible. And Agnes herself of course feels the weight of guilt lifted from her shoulders.
The scene between Dorothy and Mrs Brown where she opens up about her worries and struggles was an emotional and incredibly powerful moment. They both help each other, though Dorothy doesn’t know it, heal. I loved that so much! I’m so glad everyone comes to a better understanding of other people.
ㅤ🫧 the hostility 🫧
Pretty much everyone in the village dislikes Dorothy, viewing her as a threat as she comes in and disrupts their way of life. There is an interesting dynamic between Agnes and Dorothy: Agnes wants to be like Dorothy (seeing as Joseph is drawn to her) and Dorothy wishes she could fit in with other people, like Agnes. Agnes wants children but can’t. The two things she wants – Joseph and children – she cannot have, and blames Dorothy for it all (unfairly for the latter). It is a great pity that two women who have been through so much (Agnes receiving abuse from her father; Dorothy receiving abuse from her mother) who, because they both like the same man, unfortunately become enemies.
Agnes and Dorothy break the cycle of their toxic parents: Agnes leaves Scott, an abusive man, unlike her own mother Jeanie who stayed with Matthew; Dorothy becomes a better caring mother/motherly figure than her own mother was. I really wanted a moment between them where they speak to each other.
Mrs Brown resents Dorothy having a child and not treating him right, just like how Agnes feels about it, because she has also had several miscarriages.
ㅤ🪸 the second chance 🪸
Second chance is one of the largest themes in this story. Fate has given her a second chance by giving her Johan who is so similar to Moses. She can do everything all over again, but better – in fact, she is determined to: she says to herself “it must be different” and this is her mindset for not just the bird but for the whole situation.
Looking after the hoglet in the past with Moses goes wrong but looking after the plover with Johan goes right. She becomes a better motherly figure to the boy, learning from her mistakes in the past. And things with Joseph in the past went wrong but she is determined to try and make this right now.
<< Positives >>
🠚 A great character-driven story where they are such complex and realistic people that you keep changing from loving them to hating them. Dorothy and Agnes are great examples of this.
🠚 A beautiful and moving plot, I was rooting for a good ending and was so scared and eager to find out what happened
🠚 An intriguing cover
🠚 The use of non-linear narrative and symbolism to tell the story and provide appropriate foreshadowing and plot twists
🠚 Showcases how powerful misinformation/rumours can be
<< Negatives >>
🠚 Joseph and Dorothy’s kiss is so quick, I would have loved more description and build-up
🠚 I needed more scenes between Joseph and Dorothy in the Now part of the book, where they open up again, and smile etc.
🠚 Descriptions were basic at times, though the complexity of the plot and character makes up to a considerable extent.
🠚 I would have loved a conversation between them at the very end of the book. Of course, it ends on a very hopeful note but I would have loved to hear what he had to say to her. Or at least have the Epilogue as another chapter and then contain something else as an Epilogue
🠚 I wish there had been one scene or exchange between Dorothy and Agnes, though there is the positivity of them working together
🠚 The boy’s “garbled language” – you’d have thought Dorothy of all people would know he was speaking a different language altogether, though I understand she is determined this child is Moses sent back to her
🠚 The chapter with Moses’ POV feels like an unnecessary chapter in a lot of ways. It makes the mood grim again. I do love that he thought of both of them though so I understand why it was placed there - all the things his mother taught him, the fact he says “I need my mam”, thinks of how heartbroken she'll be, and the way he thinks of Joseph as he wedges his foot in the cleft of the rock, because he remembers Joseph saying the sea is a dangerous thing
🠚 I would have loved if more Scottish references had made its way into the book: the food, the accent, expressions. Some characters could hsve sounded more Scottish than others
🠚 Rab the dog is only mentioned a few times, I wish there had been a little more of him
CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Dorothy꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ “Never wearing quite the right thing, never quite fitting in” – I’m glad she eventually doesn’t care about what people think, and people accept her by the end. She ceases thinking of how ashamed her mother would have been if she could see her now: wearing that green dress, sleeping in Mrs Brown’s shop after one too many whiskeys. Johan was the best thing that happened to her, he makes her laugh and she becomes a better person.
She must look forward, not back, or not look at all.
-ˋˏ ꒰ Joseph꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ Joseph is so sweet and kind, it makes you wish things had worked out sooner. I am a hopeless romantic so the fact he has only ever had eyes for Dorothy even now despite everything, is lovely.
“Please God, if you grant me one thing, let it be her.”
FAV QUOTES
• Because of her, love has escaped him.
• she can listen to the sound of the sea, washing in and out on the shore she’s not yet seen. She imagines it, black under the night sky, the waves catching the stars, till at last she falls into a deep sleep.
• Dorothy casts her eye over the villagers, the shuffling, nudging children, the families and couples, all the people she will have to learn to live with, telling herself that she isn’t seeking out one person in particular, the fisherman whose hand had shielded his eyes, the other raised in greeting, for a moment just the two of them on the Sands and nothing else.
• It is the fisherman. Beads of rain cling to his jersey and hair. In the fading light and drizzle, she has the impression of warm brown eyes that show concern and something more that makes her look away.
• ‘Look,’ she exclaims and he looks and, up above, the light is such that a flock of birds flying out to sea glitters like stars in a constellation of flashing wings and rippling light. ‘It’s like the sun on the sea,’ and they look out then at the sun sparkling on the waves in just the same way, and he doesn’t want the moment to end
• she sinks further into her chair, tightening her hands around her cup of tea, steadying fingers which are trembling because the past is at the door again, banging against the timber, louder and more insistent, trying to get in.
• they cling to each other, their faces, mouths, hair, hands, legs entangled. They cling to each other like they are lost, like they are found.
• “There was no one for me but you, not ever.”
• How much she has learned from the simple, uncomplicated love of a child, about letting go.
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Julia Kelly, Harvill Secker, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way. A huge thank you to the Penguin Vintage Influencer program for providing me with a hardback copy.
February 3, 2025
A story of love, grief set in a small village, a boy is found on the shore by Dorothy, a local teacher, and a woman who knows the heartbreak of loss, as she lost her son.
When the boy is found, Dorothy seems drawn to this boy, he reminds her of the son that she loved, and lost to the sea, and so she is drawn to him, and cares for him. At times it feels as though, to her, that this is her son returned to her.
This story goes back and forth between time, sharing some of Dorothy’s life, as well as how some of the townspeople react to Dorothy and some of the decisions she’s made in her life, as well.
Pub Date: 18 Mar 2025
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster
April 21, 2025
The book was decent, but just not what I wanted at the moment. I pushed through and finished the book anyway and found the ending somewhat satisfying. Since I wasn't in the mood I found the book a bit long, but honestly it probably wasn't.
The story takes place in a small village along the coast of Scotland. A place where everyone knows everything. The main character, Dorothy arrives as the new school teacher. As an outsider she difficulty fitting in, the women shun her. She's used it from growing up, and yet she decidedly pushes away the man she's interested in since some of the women claim he is already spoken for.
The larger issue in the book is about a young child that washed up on the shore after a big storm. Dorothy takes him in, cares for him until his family can be found. This boy is about the same age as hers who was lost in a big storm many years ago. Taking care of the boy helps her to heal, come to terms with all that's happened in the past.
The book is told in two timelines, then and now, where then isn’t exactly told when but around 15 years ago, maybe more. It’s a fairly sad book. There are so many misunderstandings, secrets kept, and the absolute tragedy of losing a child.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.
The story takes place in a small village along the coast of Scotland. A place where everyone knows everything. The main character, Dorothy arrives as the new school teacher. As an outsider she difficulty fitting in, the women shun her. She's used it from growing up, and yet she decidedly pushes away the man she's interested in since some of the women claim he is already spoken for.
The larger issue in the book is about a young child that washed up on the shore after a big storm. Dorothy takes him in, cares for him until his family can be found. This boy is about the same age as hers who was lost in a big storm many years ago. Taking care of the boy helps her to heal, come to terms with all that's happened in the past.
The book is told in two timelines, then and now, where then isn’t exactly told when but around 15 years ago, maybe more. It’s a fairly sad book. There are so many misunderstandings, secrets kept, and the absolute tragedy of losing a child.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.
September 30, 2024
This was a difficult read. It was written in a beautifully realistic historical prose but it had a painful sadness that made me what to scream. Each chapter carried more misunderstandings and more misfortunes, but….but I couldn’t put it down.
The author did a good job and I was swept in by the Scottish fishing village. Just get ready for some real hard things in this. I do recommend!
Thanks Simon & Schuster via NetGalley.
4.5⭐️
The author did a good job and I was swept in by the Scottish fishing village. Just get ready for some real hard things in this. I do recommend!
Thanks Simon & Schuster via NetGalley.
4.5⭐️
August 17, 2024
The Fisherman’s gift is a delight to read. I loved reading about life in a small fishing village in Skerry during the 1900. Life was hard for the villagers and it was made up of a close community that knew everything about one another and there was much gossip.
Dorothy, a teacher, has come to this small fisherman’s village to teach the children. She is a very private person and appears to have a cold personality to the people living there.
She falls in love with Joseph, a fisherman. Joseph also loves Dorothy. The love they have for each other has so many problems with another lady, Agnes, who has already picked Joseph for herself and will do anything to keep him.
A young boy is found on the shores one cold snowy morning. Dorothy thinks the child looks like her son, Moses, who was lost at sea many years ago.
Secrets come to light in this small village and peace is finally realized by this small fishing village.
I loved reading this story and would highly recommend it.
An ARC was given to me from the author and netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Dorothy, a teacher, has come to this small fisherman’s village to teach the children. She is a very private person and appears to have a cold personality to the people living there.
She falls in love with Joseph, a fisherman. Joseph also loves Dorothy. The love they have for each other has so many problems with another lady, Agnes, who has already picked Joseph for herself and will do anything to keep him.
A young boy is found on the shores one cold snowy morning. Dorothy thinks the child looks like her son, Moses, who was lost at sea many years ago.
Secrets come to light in this small village and peace is finally realized by this small fishing village.
I loved reading this story and would highly recommend it.
An ARC was given to me from the author and netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 24, 2025
In this melancholy and atmospheric novel set in a small fishing village in Scotland in 1900, even the weather and the town become living breathing characters. In spite of the story starting off slowly, seesawing between Then and Now, I was soon drawn in by the poetic descriptions of the sea, sand, rocks, and cliffs. I also became attached to Dorothy and Joseph and their desperate and tumultuous lives.
This is a story of desperation and the main character, Dorothy, is a desperate woman.
*Desperate for friendship.
*Desperate for acceptance.
*Desperate for true love.
*Desperate to escape guilt.
*Desperate to hide.
*Desperate to be free of grief.
Dorothy lost a small son to the sea, but when another young boy is washed ashore years later, she is recruited to take care of him while the hunt is on to find out who he is. Dorothy becomes consumed by shadows of doubt and great longing.
Though this tale is heartbreaking at times, I feel that it is a beautifully written debut novel and deftly demonstrates how silence, secrets, and lies can bring so much pain into people's lives, but also how redemption and learning to let go is always possible.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a story of desperation and the main character, Dorothy, is a desperate woman.
*Desperate for friendship.
*Desperate for acceptance.
*Desperate for true love.
*Desperate to escape guilt.
*Desperate to hide.
*Desperate to be free of grief.
Dorothy lost a small son to the sea, but when another young boy is washed ashore years later, she is recruited to take care of him while the hunt is on to find out who he is. Dorothy becomes consumed by shadows of doubt and great longing.
Though this tale is heartbreaking at times, I feel that it is a beautifully written debut novel and deftly demonstrates how silence, secrets, and lies can bring so much pain into people's lives, but also how redemption and learning to let go is always possible.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 25, 2025
Wow, what an outstanding book. It was a much more complex story than I had originally thought! It would also make a good bookclub book!
June 30, 2025
interesting novel of loss in a tight knit community and relationships
December 16, 2024
4.5
In a small fishing village in Scotland, a young boy is washed ashore. As he recovers, he is sent to live with Dorothy, the young schoolteacher whose own son was lost at sea and never found. As Dorothy cares for the boy, the lines between reality and hope start to blur. Could this child possibly be her own son, returned from the gods of the sea?
Will Dorothy get a second chance to be a good mother this time? There are many long buried secrets that surface as the community searches for answers. Kelly created a wonderful tale of characters coming to terms with their past and hoping for redemption. Will highly recommend.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for an early copy.
Release date is March.
In a small fishing village in Scotland, a young boy is washed ashore. As he recovers, he is sent to live with Dorothy, the young schoolteacher whose own son was lost at sea and never found. As Dorothy cares for the boy, the lines between reality and hope start to blur. Could this child possibly be her own son, returned from the gods of the sea?
Will Dorothy get a second chance to be a good mother this time? There are many long buried secrets that surface as the community searches for answers. Kelly created a wonderful tale of characters coming to terms with their past and hoping for redemption. Will highly recommend.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for an early copy.
Release date is March.
April 11, 2025
It was about time I got emotionally destroyed by a book again 😭✌🏼 first 5 ⭐️ read of the year!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 6, 2025
“We’re none of us different from each other, not really. All trying to do our best, none of us managing it, not really.”
“Why is it that we only remember the things we did wrong?”
I just read the acknowledgments- I get it now- the theme is “it takes a village to raise a child”
A lovely story for those that liked;
Slanting at the Sea
Wild Dark Shore
Time of the Child
For me it was a bit quiet and I found myself skimming, but the writing is good and descriptive.
“Why is it that we only remember the things we did wrong?”
I just read the acknowledgments- I get it now- the theme is “it takes a village to raise a child”
A lovely story for those that liked;
Slanting at the Sea
Wild Dark Shore
Time of the Child
For me it was a bit quiet and I found myself skimming, but the writing is good and descriptive.
September 21, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story and the characters really captivated my interest, read it in one day.
The story and the characters really captivated my interest, read it in one day.
July 10, 2025
Dorothy wird immer den Tag um 1900 herum bereuen, als sie ihre Stelle im schottischen Fischerdorf Skerry antrat und sich in Mrs Browns kleinem Lebensmittelladen den wortführenden Frauen des Dorfes als Miss Aitken vorstellte. Dass die Dorfbewohner:innen sie für hochnäsig hielten, „die, die hier alles durcheinander bringt“, sollte Dorothys Schicksal bis in die Gegenwart auf tragische Weise bestimmen. Als der Bootsbauer Joseph fast 20 Jahre später einen fremden kleinen Jungen im Sturm vor dem Ertrinken rettet und (selbst tropfnass) mit dem Kind ins Dorf kommt, wühlt das in dramatischer Weise Dorothys Vergangenheit auf, die inzwischen verwitwet ist und deren eigener 6jähriger Sohn Moses eines Nachts verschwand. Auch wenn Kapitelüberschriften sauber trennen zwischen Geschehnissen damals und heute, verschwammen aus meiner Sicht zunächst Vergangenheit und Gegenwart. Ich fragte mich, ob die Jungen sich tatsächlich ähnlich sahen und ob in einer höchst abergläubischen Gemeinschaft ein fremdes Kind auftauchen kann, um Dorothys unbearbeitetes Trauma zu lindern. Sie nimmt den Jungen auf; denn es wird erwartet, dass sie sich mit Kindern auskennt. Dabei wirkt sie jedoch wie erstarrt in der Vorstellung, dass sie wie bei ihrem eigenen Sohn als Mutter versagen wird. Bisher spricht der Junge nicht, zeigt jedoch das Verständnis eines Kindes für sein Umfeld, das am Meer aufgewachsen ist. Seine Rettung der Polizei zu melden, scheint zunächst seinen gemächlichen Gang zu gehen.
Mit zwischen zahlreichen Figuren wechselndem Focus blicken wir als Leser:innen hier in ein Dorf, in dem Pfarrer, Kirche, meerbezogener Aberglaube und Tratsch den Alltag bestimmen. Die Beziehungen in Skerry wirken wie ein komplizierter Tanz aus Ausfragen, Ausweichen, Anspielungen, eisiger Höflichkeit und vorschnellen Urteilen. Vermutlich hatte Dorothy in diesem Umfeld keine Chance, auch nur zu erkennen, welches ihr Platz sein könnte, weil sie sich der Liebe ihrer Mutter selbst nicht sicher sein konnte. Aus Dialogen zwischen den Dorfbewohnern ergibt sich am Ende ein verstörendes Gesamtbild, das offene Fragen beantwortet und die Handlungsfäden virtuos verknüpft. Ein Rückblick in eine Epoche, in der man an „das kleine Volk“ glaubte, mit dem man sich besser nicht anlegte, und in der Frauen in die Pullover ihrer Männer eine individuelle Signatur strickten, um nach einem Schiffbruch ihre Leichen beanspruchen und begraben zu können.
Mit zwischen zahlreichen Figuren wechselndem Focus blicken wir als Leser:innen hier in ein Dorf, in dem Pfarrer, Kirche, meerbezogener Aberglaube und Tratsch den Alltag bestimmen. Die Beziehungen in Skerry wirken wie ein komplizierter Tanz aus Ausfragen, Ausweichen, Anspielungen, eisiger Höflichkeit und vorschnellen Urteilen. Vermutlich hatte Dorothy in diesem Umfeld keine Chance, auch nur zu erkennen, welches ihr Platz sein könnte, weil sie sich der Liebe ihrer Mutter selbst nicht sicher sein konnte. Aus Dialogen zwischen den Dorfbewohnern ergibt sich am Ende ein verstörendes Gesamtbild, das offene Fragen beantwortet und die Handlungsfäden virtuos verknüpft. Ein Rückblick in eine Epoche, in der man an „das kleine Volk“ glaubte, mit dem man sich besser nicht anlegte, und in der Frauen in die Pullover ihrer Männer eine individuelle Signatur strickten, um nach einem Schiffbruch ihre Leichen beanspruchen und begraben zu können.
July 28, 2025
This is a read full of pathos. . .all the hurts that wrap around love and the tender parts of family building, and the whys of each move forward double-doubted.
Set that in an atmospheric fishing village with waves haunted by fatal playmates who beckon, all in the world we in this age call Scottish. Julia R. Kelly tells the tale of two boys separated by a lifetime: Moses and Johan. Those two hold the hearts of Dorothy, Joseph, William, Jane and a village of folk that surround them all.
Settle in with this read, wrapped in something warm and a hot tea ready - perhaps tissues within reach. Original read had me at four stars, but upon re-reading for this review a month later. . .I'm all in with five.
*A sincere thank you to Julia R. Kelly, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheFishermansGift #NetGalley 25|52:22b
Set that in an atmospheric fishing village with waves haunted by fatal playmates who beckon, all in the world we in this age call Scottish. Julia R. Kelly tells the tale of two boys separated by a lifetime: Moses and Johan. Those two hold the hearts of Dorothy, Joseph, William, Jane and a village of folk that surround them all.
Settle in with this read, wrapped in something warm and a hot tea ready - perhaps tissues within reach. Original read had me at four stars, but upon re-reading for this review a month later. . .I'm all in with five.
*A sincere thank you to Julia R. Kelly, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheFishermansGift #NetGalley 25|52:22b
January 14, 2025
This book emotionally destroyed me in the best way. I don't often cry when I read. It's a rare thing. But this had me in tears so many times I lost count. My heart aches so much for these characters, and they are written so well I feel as if their emotions are my own. I could feel their pain, their sadness, their anger, and hatred. As a parent, I could not imagine the pain of losing my child, and imagining Dorothy's I could hardly contain my tears at times. I had absolutely no idea going into this book, I would love it as much as I did. I admit I requested a copy on a whim. If this is a debut novel, then I sincerely hope the author releases more works because I will be right there reading them. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon and Shuster, for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2025
Read to 47%. I don’t read masturbation scenes, or even references to them. Seriously, there are numerous better way to make the point about a nervous virgin bride.
Other than that, it’s a beautiful book. Full
of stormy seas, small town life, a young woman who feels she doesn’t fit in, meddling neighbors, a thwarted burning romance, and of course the child lost and the child gained. Atmospheric and touching. An impressive debut.
Up until this point, it was clean historical fiction with no foul language or steamy sex scenes.
- Desiree Reads
September 8, 2028
Other than that, it’s a beautiful book. Full
of stormy seas, small town life, a young woman who feels she doesn’t fit in, meddling neighbors, a thwarted burning romance, and of course the child lost and the child gained. Atmospheric and touching. An impressive debut.
Up until this point, it was clean historical fiction with no foul language or steamy sex scenes.
- Desiree Reads
September 8, 2028
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2025
From the moment I finished reading this book, I immediately wanted to start it all over again.
The Fisherman's Gift is beautifully haunting, a brutal and tender tale about grief and love. Set in the isolated Scottish fishing village of Skerry Sands. It's told over a dual timeline that follows Dorothy and Joseph. Entwined through their story are the village women, each with their own tale to tell. It touches on folklore and is full of mystery surrounding a child found washed up by the see
It's captivating, and I was so immersed within this village and all its inhabitants. Through Kelly's descriptions, it felt as though I could smell, feel, and hear everything going on within this story.
Each character is well written along with their stories. They show you how we don't truly see what a person is going through behind closed doors. The inner turmoil, the blame, and guilt, we as women/wives/mothers, carry heavy on our shoulders, secretly, silent within ourselves. Whilst getting up day after day to carry on with what is expected of us. To contend with gossip and shame that come with each decision we make and how we present ourselves.
Within all of this, there's a love story being told, which is so raw, passionate, and gentle. It felt so real. It broke my heart. It was everything.
My words do not express how this book has left me, all the feelings and emotions I felt throughout. This story broke me. It had me crying my eyes out yet still left me with a feeling of hope. Hope that it's never too late to change, to have happiness, to live a life beyond grief, and sadness.
This historical fiction debut is just stunning. It's one of the best love stories I have read.
Thank you, Vintage, for my advanced copy of this incredible book
The Fisherman's Gift is beautifully haunting, a brutal and tender tale about grief and love. Set in the isolated Scottish fishing village of Skerry Sands. It's told over a dual timeline that follows Dorothy and Joseph. Entwined through their story are the village women, each with their own tale to tell. It touches on folklore and is full of mystery surrounding a child found washed up by the see
It's captivating, and I was so immersed within this village and all its inhabitants. Through Kelly's descriptions, it felt as though I could smell, feel, and hear everything going on within this story.
Each character is well written along with their stories. They show you how we don't truly see what a person is going through behind closed doors. The inner turmoil, the blame, and guilt, we as women/wives/mothers, carry heavy on our shoulders, secretly, silent within ourselves. Whilst getting up day after day to carry on with what is expected of us. To contend with gossip and shame that come with each decision we make and how we present ourselves.
Within all of this, there's a love story being told, which is so raw, passionate, and gentle. It felt so real. It broke my heart. It was everything.
My words do not express how this book has left me, all the feelings and emotions I felt throughout. This story broke me. It had me crying my eyes out yet still left me with a feeling of hope. Hope that it's never too late to change, to have happiness, to live a life beyond grief, and sadness.
This historical fiction debut is just stunning. It's one of the best love stories I have read.
Thank you, Vintage, for my advanced copy of this incredible book
September 11, 2025
Exquisite storytelling; characters so well developed that I felt as if I knew them. It is a slow unfolding of love, loss and secrets that ruin lives. The setting is a very small fishing town in Scotland where everyone knows everyone—except their secrets. I couldn’t put this one down
September 21, 2025
Drenched in sadness 💔 I’m always drawn to character-driven stories & this one delivered in the most haunting way. The author’s writing style is beautiful & it captures the weight of loss, shame, pride, & the kind of lethal misunderstandings that can undo a life.
&&& the font type & size are my personal favorite to read, which felt like an extra little gift!
&&& the font type & size are my personal favorite to read, which felt like an extra little gift!
November 14, 2025
Невыносимо, честно говоря, но прекрасно
November 14, 2024
A beautiful story about the journey of a mother’s grief and guilt.
Dorthy is the new school mistress in a little fishing town Skelly. The town is full of gossips and she isn’t welcomed well. She meets Joseph who is a fisherman and they briefly fall in love. Life pulls them apart before they even have a chance to live out their love story.
A little boy is found from the sea who is similar to the son Dorothy lost. She is asked to watch over him until they can find his parents. Through watching and caring for him her past and the guilt and grief she has tried to bury surfaces. And she has to face and walk through the pain and hurt that has been shoved down through the years. She has to confront people and herself through this journey. She finds healing and closure through helping this little boy.
Being a mother myself so many parts of this story are so accurate, raw, relatable and hard to read.
Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest review!
Dorthy is the new school mistress in a little fishing town Skelly. The town is full of gossips and she isn’t welcomed well. She meets Joseph who is a fisherman and they briefly fall in love. Life pulls them apart before they even have a chance to live out their love story.
A little boy is found from the sea who is similar to the son Dorothy lost. She is asked to watch over him until they can find his parents. Through watching and caring for him her past and the guilt and grief she has tried to bury surfaces. And she has to face and walk through the pain and hurt that has been shoved down through the years. She has to confront people and herself through this journey. She finds healing and closure through helping this little boy.
Being a mother myself so many parts of this story are so accurate, raw, relatable and hard to read.
Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest review!
January 6, 2025
4.5 rounded up.
In a fishing village in Scotland in the early 20th century, an Edinburgh woman arrives to teach school. Told in past and present timelines and through multiple pov, her mutual attraction with a man and later tragic loss of her young son are slowly unpeeled. When another young boy washes ashore in a storm, everyone involved is driven to reflect on their past losses and mistakes. It’s a book with a lot of sadness to it (and tw: domestic violence), but manages to end hopefully. The writing is beautiful, the setting and small town dynamics absorbing. If I have one quibble, it’s that the central rupture that drives all further events stems from Joseph’s breathtaking blindness to or ignorance of the people around him. Or maybe I wasn’t feeling too generous to him!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
In a fishing village in Scotland in the early 20th century, an Edinburgh woman arrives to teach school. Told in past and present timelines and through multiple pov, her mutual attraction with a man and later tragic loss of her young son are slowly unpeeled. When another young boy washes ashore in a storm, everyone involved is driven to reflect on their past losses and mistakes. It’s a book with a lot of sadness to it (and tw: domestic violence), but manages to end hopefully. The writing is beautiful, the setting and small town dynamics absorbing. If I have one quibble, it’s that the central rupture that drives all further events stems from Joseph’s breathtaking blindness to or ignorance of the people around him. Or maybe I wasn’t feeling too generous to him!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
March 18, 2025
The Fisherman's Gift, by Julia R Kelly, is a touching story of love and grief. In a small Scottish fishing village, a half-drowned little boy is found along the shore. Dorothy, a local teacher, cares for the child. She knows a mother’s sorrow from loss, for she lost her own son years ago. At times, she it feels that this little boy is her child, somehow miraculously returned to her. I loved the set-up as the story goes back and forth between “now” and “then,” filling in the backstory of Dorothy’s life.
As a young woman, Dorothy arrives at this small village, one so banded together that, even years later, she feels like an unwelcome entruder, judged and even shunned. Fisherman Joseph, a young eligible man, is smitten with Dorothy, but the relationship seems doomed from the start. Interference from the town’s people forces a wedge between them.
The author does an especially good job in describing townspeople, who are gossipy and spiteful. The writing is beautiful, with words that call to be read again and again:
“And a sense of wonder steals over Dorothy as she sits there for a long time, the room lightening with the coming day, and thinks about the sleeping boy downstairs and how God works in mysterious ways.”
What a sad and touching story, one that I will carry with me for a while.
As a young woman, Dorothy arrives at this small village, one so banded together that, even years later, she feels like an unwelcome entruder, judged and even shunned. Fisherman Joseph, a young eligible man, is smitten with Dorothy, but the relationship seems doomed from the start. Interference from the town’s people forces a wedge between them.
The author does an especially good job in describing townspeople, who are gossipy and spiteful. The writing is beautiful, with words that call to be read again and again:
“And a sense of wonder steals over Dorothy as she sits there for a long time, the room lightening with the coming day, and thinks about the sleeping boy downstairs and how God works in mysterious ways.”
What a sad and touching story, one that I will carry with me for a while.
April 22, 2025
This book delivered everything it promised. I loved it so much.
A young boy washes up on the shores of a small Scottish town. He looks remarkably similar to a boy involved in a tragic accident years earlier. Dorothy's a new teacher who's never been fully welcomed or accepted by the town. Joseph's a fisherman, and town favorite, who's always had feelings for Dorothy, something the other women of the town are not happy about. The boy's appearance surfaces old lies and tragedies, forcing the town to reflect on their pasts and potential futures.
There are multiple POVs. The timeline alternates between the past and present. Once I started this book I could not put it down. The story was told in a beautiful and thrilling way, slowly revealing what exactly happened in everyone's past and why the characters are they way they are. All the townspeople's lives were so interconnected and it was a bit terrifying to see the impact a fib or action could have on someone's life a few times removed. Some of the reveals you were slowly led to, and some absolutely shocked me.
Dorothy and Joseph are the two main characters. I loved them and wanted to shake them at the same time. I often wished they'd be more open and honest with each other, but at the same time their character's were given so much depth that they reticence to be honest made complete sense to me.
If you like The Light Between Oceans, The Lighthouse Witches, and/or books about small Scottish towns - then you absolutely NEED to read this one.
Follow my bookstagram @thatswhatnatread
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
A young boy washes up on the shores of a small Scottish town. He looks remarkably similar to a boy involved in a tragic accident years earlier. Dorothy's a new teacher who's never been fully welcomed or accepted by the town. Joseph's a fisherman, and town favorite, who's always had feelings for Dorothy, something the other women of the town are not happy about. The boy's appearance surfaces old lies and tragedies, forcing the town to reflect on their pasts and potential futures.
There are multiple POVs. The timeline alternates between the past and present. Once I started this book I could not put it down. The story was told in a beautiful and thrilling way, slowly revealing what exactly happened in everyone's past and why the characters are they way they are. All the townspeople's lives were so interconnected and it was a bit terrifying to see the impact a fib or action could have on someone's life a few times removed. Some of the reveals you were slowly led to, and some absolutely shocked me.
Dorothy and Joseph are the two main characters. I loved them and wanted to shake them at the same time. I often wished they'd be more open and honest with each other, but at the same time their character's were given so much depth that they reticence to be honest made complete sense to me.
If you like The Light Between Oceans, The Lighthouse Witches, and/or books about small Scottish towns - then you absolutely NEED to read this one.
Follow my bookstagram @thatswhatnatread
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 2, 2025
The Fisherman’s Gift is not an easy read—but it’s the kind of novel that quietly ruins you in the best way. Julia R. Kelly’s writing is deeply atmospheric and emotionally exacting, each sentence steeped in raw feeling and quiet beauty. From the very first page, you can feel the weight of sorrow pressing through the prose, and yet you keep reading—because the grief is rendered so truthfully, so tenderly, that it becomes something sacred.
This is a novel that explores love in all its most painful forms: the ache of what’s lost, the longing for what might have been, and the strength it takes to keep holding on when your heart has already broken. Every character is so achingly human, shaped by trauma and time, but written with grace and empathy. Their stories don’t offer tidy resolutions—but rather something more real: emotional honesty, resilience, and small, hard-won moments of hope.
If you loved The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, this novel will resonate with you. It carries the same haunting stillness and sense of wonder amidst hardship. The Fisherman’s Gift isn’t uplifting in the traditional sense, but it offers something even more powerful: a quiet, aching beauty that affirms how deeply we can love—and how fiercely we can endure.
One of my favorite books of the year.
This is a novel that explores love in all its most painful forms: the ache of what’s lost, the longing for what might have been, and the strength it takes to keep holding on when your heart has already broken. Every character is so achingly human, shaped by trauma and time, but written with grace and empathy. Their stories don’t offer tidy resolutions—but rather something more real: emotional honesty, resilience, and small, hard-won moments of hope.
If you loved The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, this novel will resonate with you. It carries the same haunting stillness and sense of wonder amidst hardship. The Fisherman’s Gift isn’t uplifting in the traditional sense, but it offers something even more powerful: a quiet, aching beauty that affirms how deeply we can love—and how fiercely we can endure.
One of my favorite books of the year.
October 17, 2025
2.5 stars. This book should’ve worked for me in theory. Small Scottish fishing village, multiple genres wrapped into one.
However, I didn’t end up a fan of this one. The story never grabbed me and I never got invested. The way the story was told kind of made me feel like I was in a fever dream? I don’t even know why.
Thank you Simon Books for the gifted copy!!
However, I didn’t end up a fan of this one. The story never grabbed me and I never got invested. The way the story was told kind of made me feel like I was in a fever dream? I don’t even know why.
Thank you Simon Books for the gifted copy!!
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