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Habits of the Sea
The second adult novel from New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw, in which a woman rediscovers the mythical island she stumbled upon as a child—and the man she once met who apparently hasn’t aged—and must choose between the life she’s built and a love that defies the laws of time and nature.
The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home—and the eight hectares of land beneath it—away from the Scottish coast, sending it adrift into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weatherworn farmhouse perched on its highest hill.
When the island vanishes overnight, Ellie is left questioning whether it ever existed at all. But decades later, now in her thirties, the island resurfaces—and Ellie returns, determined to uncover the truth. What she finds is even Clay hasn’t aged a single day.
Faced with the impossible, Ellie learns that some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved—and that a life shaped by wonder may hold more promise than one bound by certainty.
Spanning centuries and coastlines, Habits of the Sea is a haunting, romantic journey through time, memory, and the invisible tides that pull us home.
The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home—and the eight hectares of land beneath it—away from the Scottish coast, sending it adrift into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weatherworn farmhouse perched on its highest hill.
When the island vanishes overnight, Ellie is left questioning whether it ever existed at all. But decades later, now in her thirties, the island resurfaces—and Ellie returns, determined to uncover the truth. What she finds is even Clay hasn’t aged a single day.
Faced with the impossible, Ellie learns that some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved—and that a life shaped by wonder may hold more promise than one bound by certainty.
Spanning centuries and coastlines, Habits of the Sea is a haunting, romantic journey through time, memory, and the invisible tides that pull us home.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2026
About the author
Shea Ernshaw
9 books5,616 followersShea Ernshaw is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestselling author of THE WICKED DEEP, WINTERWOOD, A WILDERNESS OF STARS, LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN, and A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES. Her novels have repeatedly been chosen as Indie Next Picks and A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES was a Book of the Month selection. She is also the winner of the Oregon Book Award.
She often writes late, late, late into the night, enjoys dark woods, scary stories and moonlight on lakes.
You can connect with her here:
www.sheaernshaw.com.
www.instagram.com/sheaernshaw/
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Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 ⭐
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” - Jacques Yves Cousteau
〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 1:02 ───ㅇ───── 4:27
༄.° TL;DR: Even though I didn't exactly love it towards the end because, whoa, where did that come from, I still enjoyed myself. ☺
༄.° Have you ever hated how a book could constantly worm its way into your thoughts and you can’t seem to push it away, so you either a) try to ignore it–emphasis on try, or b) succumb to your desire to pick up the book and see what’s going to happen next? Yeah. That happened to me with this book.
Here. Picture this. It was a dark and stormy night (I know, I know, it’s cliché, but bear with me), Clay Lockhart loses his wife and babies, and their plot of land is suddenly torn from the mainland, sending it away from the Scottish coast into the Atlantic. It quickly becomes a story that mad, drunken sailors tell to those who will bear to listen to them about the fabled man and his drifting home. However, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills comes across the island and meets Clay. But when she returns home, it disappears, and no one believes her, and pretty soon, she begins to think she made it all up. Decades go by, and Ellie has tried to move on from her past, only for it to come back into her life when news of the island reappears. She desperately needs closure and answers, and the only one who has those answers is Clay, who hasn’t aged a single day since she last saw him. But if there’s one thing Ellie quickly learns about Saltwell Island, it’s that once you set foot on it, it rarely lets you or its mysteries go.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. It was mysterious, it was a little sad, and it was kinda whimsical as well because it’s a floating island with a house on top, becoming a legend, a fable amongst sailors. If that isn’t whimsical, I don’t know what is. But I understood how haunting it was to Ellie since it changed not only her life, but her entire being. I wanted her to find closure and happiness because the life she was living now is not working out for her, even if it’s what most people would think of as a great and successful life. So I was rooting for her when she jumped into that water to get to Saltwell Island.
However…this girl did not know what she wanted in either world. I mean, I get it. I’m a very indecisive person and can’t even choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream without having a panic attack and a whole presidential debate with myself, but it didn’t seem fair that she was basically stringing Clay along while she was adamant about going back to her old life. Okay, he’s handsome and mysterious, and he makes your heart flutter like no other, but, good grief, Ellie. You shouldn’t even look at him longingly if you don’t know if you want to stay. You already messed with one man’s feelings back home. Don’t do it to this guy, who’s had enough heartbreak in his life, all right?
I was thinking about whether I’d want to go back to civilization or stay on the island if I were in Ellie’s shoes, and I think I can safely say that I’d go back home. Look, I don’t like going out or being around people in general, but I’d be WAY too lonely and heartbroken if I never saw my family again. They get on my nerves, sure, but it comes with the territory. I’m annoying, too–I can admit to that. 😂 I don’t know if I can ever love someone enough to leave everything behind. Never experienced that, but hey, there’s a first time for everything. 🤷♀
But then we get to the second half of the book. And, wow…what? I literally had to stop and stare out the window into the clear nothingness to find some sort of clarity that could mentally explain what’s going on. My how things took a dark and depressing turn, like holy hell. I was so not prepared for that.
Yeah, it went from whimsical romance to dystopian. A complete 180. Where did that come from? I–I’m so confused. Like, I admire the shift, but give me a heads up next time. 😅 It’s not like I didn’t enjoy it, but it was such a change that I honestly didn’t want to read the rest of it because I don’t want to know what’s going to happen to everyone. I’d rather live the rest of my life in ignorance, okay? I don’t mind.
The main issue I have with this book is the romance. I feel like Clay and Ellie developed feelings for each other out of nowhere. I think there must be something in the sea air because the way Ellie felt for a man she hardly knew was actually surprising. I don’t blame her, but I would have liked to see their relationship develop from strangers to friends to lovers through more conversations and moments together. But maybe it’s because this reads more like a journal than a story, so that could be why.
Ugh, but the writing! I loved it! It was so beautiful and lyrical. I was underlining so many sentences because the prose was just so good. It’s definitely my favorite part of the book.
All in all, I still had fun, regardless of the flaws, and I will be reading more of Shea Ernshaw’s books in the future. 💚
⊹₊⋆ Thank you to Atria Books for sending me a physical galley of the arc! All opinions and statements are my own. ⊹₊⋆
《 Content Warnings 》
Animal death, some violence and blood, nudity, & mentions of death/dying, pregnancy, and childbirth.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Open door/ steamy. (🌶🌶🌶/5)
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” - Jacques Yves Cousteau
〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 1:02 ───ㅇ───── 4:27
༄.° TL;DR: Even though I didn't exactly love it towards the end because, whoa, where did that come from, I still enjoyed myself. ☺
༄.° Have you ever hated how a book could constantly worm its way into your thoughts and you can’t seem to push it away, so you either a) try to ignore it–emphasis on try, or b) succumb to your desire to pick up the book and see what’s going to happen next? Yeah. That happened to me with this book.
Here. Picture this. It was a dark and stormy night (I know, I know, it’s cliché, but bear with me), Clay Lockhart loses his wife and babies, and their plot of land is suddenly torn from the mainland, sending it away from the Scottish coast into the Atlantic. It quickly becomes a story that mad, drunken sailors tell to those who will bear to listen to them about the fabled man and his drifting home. However, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills comes across the island and meets Clay. But when she returns home, it disappears, and no one believes her, and pretty soon, she begins to think she made it all up. Decades go by, and Ellie has tried to move on from her past, only for it to come back into her life when news of the island reappears. She desperately needs closure and answers, and the only one who has those answers is Clay, who hasn’t aged a single day since she last saw him. But if there’s one thing Ellie quickly learns about Saltwell Island, it’s that once you set foot on it, it rarely lets you or its mysteries go.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. It was mysterious, it was a little sad, and it was kinda whimsical as well because it’s a floating island with a house on top, becoming a legend, a fable amongst sailors. If that isn’t whimsical, I don’t know what is. But I understood how haunting it was to Ellie since it changed not only her life, but her entire being. I wanted her to find closure and happiness because the life she was living now is not working out for her, even if it’s what most people would think of as a great and successful life. So I was rooting for her when she jumped into that water to get to Saltwell Island.
However…this girl did not know what she wanted in either world. I mean, I get it. I’m a very indecisive person and can’t even choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream without having a panic attack and a whole presidential debate with myself, but it didn’t seem fair that she was basically stringing Clay along while she was adamant about going back to her old life. Okay, he’s handsome and mysterious, and he makes your heart flutter like no other, but, good grief, Ellie. You shouldn’t even look at him longingly if you don’t know if you want to stay. You already messed with one man’s feelings back home. Don’t do it to this guy, who’s had enough heartbreak in his life, all right?
I was thinking about whether I’d want to go back to civilization or stay on the island if I were in Ellie’s shoes, and I think I can safely say that I’d go back home. Look, I don’t like going out or being around people in general, but I’d be WAY too lonely and heartbroken if I never saw my family again. They get on my nerves, sure, but it comes with the territory. I’m annoying, too–I can admit to that. 😂 I don’t know if I can ever love someone enough to leave everything behind. Never experienced that, but hey, there’s a first time for everything. 🤷♀
But then we get to the second half of the book. And, wow…what? I literally had to stop and stare out the window into the clear nothingness to find some sort of clarity that could mentally explain what’s going on. My how things took a dark and depressing turn, like holy hell. I was so not prepared for that.
Yeah, it went from whimsical romance to dystopian. A complete 180. Where did that come from? I–I’m so confused. Like, I admire the shift, but give me a heads up next time. 😅 It’s not like I didn’t enjoy it, but it was such a change that I honestly didn’t want to read the rest of it because I don’t want to know what’s going to happen to everyone. I’d rather live the rest of my life in ignorance, okay? I don’t mind.
The main issue I have with this book is the romance. I feel like Clay and Ellie developed feelings for each other out of nowhere. I think there must be something in the sea air because the way Ellie felt for a man she hardly knew was actually surprising. I don’t blame her, but I would have liked to see their relationship develop from strangers to friends to lovers through more conversations and moments together. But maybe it’s because this reads more like a journal than a story, so that could be why.
Ugh, but the writing! I loved it! It was so beautiful and lyrical. I was underlining so many sentences because the prose was just so good. It’s definitely my favorite part of the book.
All in all, I still had fun, regardless of the flaws, and I will be reading more of Shea Ernshaw’s books in the future. 💚
⊹₊⋆ Thank you to Atria Books for sending me a physical galley of the arc! All opinions and statements are my own. ⊹₊⋆
《 Content Warnings 》
Animal death, some violence and blood, nudity, & mentions of death/dying, pregnancy, and childbirth.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Open door/ steamy. (🌶🌶🌶/5)
March 8, 2026
Listen, I am as introverted as they come, but not even I would choose a life on an endlessly drifting island without any comforts of modern day and not even the possibility to return to civilization. This isn't supposed to be a horror novel, but some parts of it sure read like it to me. And it definitely wasn't the mysterious and magical story I expected either. I was intrigued when I started to read about this mythical vanishing island that's supposed to drift around the world with its single, possibly immortal, inhabitant on top. It's more legend than truth, but the main character Ellie Mills actually encountered the island as a child. Nobody really believed her, but it sure was strange that she was missing without a trace for a week when her absence felt like mere hours to her. Twenty years after Ellie's encounter, the island is sighted again, and she decides to travel after it. Even though she worked hard to get over the unexplainable experience that shaped her life, she cannot let go of the island. She, too, isn't really happy with the way her life turned out, and so she throws everything – a good job, an almost fiancé, a loving grandmother – away and swims after the island instead. God, I just couldn't with that. It's totally fine that Ellie recognizes that she doesn't have what she wants in life and decides to change things drastically. Great, really. But you're telling me that she actually wants to live on a lonely island drifting through time and space where there is absolutely no future for her? She of course falls in love with the man who lives on the island, but her entire life is this man now. A man that she first met when she was a child, I might add, and even though time is moving differently in this story, I could not get over that. Am I supposed to be rooting for any of this? It was not romantic or magical or powerful to me, it was just infuriating and creepy. You're stuck in life? Why don't you run away from your responsibilities and live a life on an isolated island instead? There will be no connection to civilization and you of course will be in love with the one other human being in sight and for activities there's sex and farm work. I just did not see the point of this story. The majority of it was very boring, because it's just not leading up to anything. These people are adrift and so is the story. Only the ending did get at least a bit exciting, but otherwise I was pretty bored. It's honestly probably not as terrible as I make it sound like, but literally everything here rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't help it. If you are looking for an existential crisis isolated island story, then you may want to pick up Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy instead.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2026
Shea Ernshaw writes—and I devour her books. That has genuinely become my personal motto. Every time she releases a new story, I know I’m about to be transported somewhere haunting, emotional, and unforgettable. I’ve adored her previous novels, but this one felt like stepping into a dream I didn’t want to leave and waking up with its echoes still clinging to me. It’s a story that blends magical realism with dystopian melancholy, themes of ecological collapse and end-of-the-earth dread, deep loneliness, lost roots, and the universal search for home and identity. And somehow, Ernshaw executes all of this with such grace, lyrical beauty, and emotional precision that I found myself crying, gasping, and sitting in stunned silence at multiple moments.
There is something profoundly moving about the connection between Ellie Mills and Clay Lockhart—two souls separated not just by years, but by worlds, by fate, by impossible distances. Their lives intersect through circumstances that should not be possible, and yet in Ernshaw’s hands, the impossible becomes intimate and believable.
Clay’s backstory alone shattered me: once a young husband and father in the Scottish Highlands, he buryies his wife and newborn twins after a devastating childbirth. Then, during a brutal storm, his home and eight hectares of surrounding land are swallowed whole—vanished into nothing as if the land itself devoured him. For decades afterward, his disappearance becomes a myth whispered by locals, a tragic legend with no explanation.
Then we meet Ellie, a young girl sent to live with her Nana in Nova Scotia because her mother is too busy reinventing herself in Silicon Valley to raise her. The emotional abandonment, the displacement, the sense of being unwanted and uprooted—it shaped Ellie in ways she’s still trying to understand twenty years later.
One night, as a child, Ellie follows what she thinks is a boat gliding silently through the water—and she steps into a realm she cannot explain. Saltwell. An island that shouldn’t exist. A strange, shifting, timeless place. There she meets Clay, who offers her warmth and safety beside a crackling fire in his home. But when Ellie returns to her Nana’s house the next morning, the world has changed. She learns she wasn’t gone for a single night. She was missing for an entire week. And the island is gone. The man is gone. No one believes her. The land denies she ever found it.
This early trauma lingers in her for decades. She becomes a psychiatrist in Seattle—helping young people the way she once needed help. She builds a life she thinks is stable. She has a loving partner, James, who wants to marry her. Yet a part of Ellie remains haunted by Saltwell’s pull, by her fear that she imagined everything, by the unsettling question of whether she lost her mind at eleven years old.
Then a podcaster named Helen Ashcroft contacts her, claiming that Saltwell has been seen again—by other people this time. Ellie refuses the interview but can’t refuse the truth: she needs closure. She needs to know if what happened to her was real. This need sends her back to Nova Scotia, and then to the rugged, mystical Faroes—the last location where the island appeared.
She tells herself this trip is purely logical, an attempt to erase her doubts and return home with a clean mind, finally ready to accept James’s marriage proposal. But the moment Saltwell materializes once more, shimmering like a mirage at the edge of the sea, Ellie chooses instinct over reason. She dives into the water, swimming with desperate hope toward the island before it disappears again.
And from that point on, her life belongs to a different world.
The island is stranger, more haunting, and more alive than she ever imagined. A house that behaves like a boat, drifting between lands under different names. A place where time stretches and folds in unnatural patterns. A land carrying the marks of ecological devastation, memory, grief, and renewal. And there, standing in the heart of this impossible world, is Clay Lockhart—ageless, timeless, yet deeply human.
The unfolding connection between Ellie and Clay is so tender, aching, and beautifully drawn that I found myself holding my breath. The way their stories entangle—how destiny, loss, and love shape and reshape them—feels mythic. Their emotional wounds mirror the fractured world around them: islands drifting, time unraveling. And yet, within all this darkness, Ernshaw offers threads of hope, healing, and rediscovery.
Overall: This novel is lyrical, epic, fantastical, devastating, and strangely comforting all at once. It is mind-bending in its structure, emotionally shattering in its character arcs, and breathtaking in its imagery. Ernshaw blends Scottish folklore, magical realism, dystopian moodiness, ecological themes, and deeply emotional storytelling so seamlessly that the result feels timeless. I loved every haunting detail, every atmospheric setting, every metaphor, every whispered hint of magic. This book is sad, dark, heavy—and yet filled with an almost celestial kind of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest hours, the stars still guide us home.
An unforgettable, luminous, and entirely immersive five-star read.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this mesmerizing novel’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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There is something profoundly moving about the connection between Ellie Mills and Clay Lockhart—two souls separated not just by years, but by worlds, by fate, by impossible distances. Their lives intersect through circumstances that should not be possible, and yet in Ernshaw’s hands, the impossible becomes intimate and believable.
Clay’s backstory alone shattered me: once a young husband and father in the Scottish Highlands, he buryies his wife and newborn twins after a devastating childbirth. Then, during a brutal storm, his home and eight hectares of surrounding land are swallowed whole—vanished into nothing as if the land itself devoured him. For decades afterward, his disappearance becomes a myth whispered by locals, a tragic legend with no explanation.
Then we meet Ellie, a young girl sent to live with her Nana in Nova Scotia because her mother is too busy reinventing herself in Silicon Valley to raise her. The emotional abandonment, the displacement, the sense of being unwanted and uprooted—it shaped Ellie in ways she’s still trying to understand twenty years later.
One night, as a child, Ellie follows what she thinks is a boat gliding silently through the water—and she steps into a realm she cannot explain. Saltwell. An island that shouldn’t exist. A strange, shifting, timeless place. There she meets Clay, who offers her warmth and safety beside a crackling fire in his home. But when Ellie returns to her Nana’s house the next morning, the world has changed. She learns she wasn’t gone for a single night. She was missing for an entire week. And the island is gone. The man is gone. No one believes her. The land denies she ever found it.
This early trauma lingers in her for decades. She becomes a psychiatrist in Seattle—helping young people the way she once needed help. She builds a life she thinks is stable. She has a loving partner, James, who wants to marry her. Yet a part of Ellie remains haunted by Saltwell’s pull, by her fear that she imagined everything, by the unsettling question of whether she lost her mind at eleven years old.
Then a podcaster named Helen Ashcroft contacts her, claiming that Saltwell has been seen again—by other people this time. Ellie refuses the interview but can’t refuse the truth: she needs closure. She needs to know if what happened to her was real. This need sends her back to Nova Scotia, and then to the rugged, mystical Faroes—the last location where the island appeared.
She tells herself this trip is purely logical, an attempt to erase her doubts and return home with a clean mind, finally ready to accept James’s marriage proposal. But the moment Saltwell materializes once more, shimmering like a mirage at the edge of the sea, Ellie chooses instinct over reason. She dives into the water, swimming with desperate hope toward the island before it disappears again.
And from that point on, her life belongs to a different world.
The island is stranger, more haunting, and more alive than she ever imagined. A house that behaves like a boat, drifting between lands under different names. A place where time stretches and folds in unnatural patterns. A land carrying the marks of ecological devastation, memory, grief, and renewal. And there, standing in the heart of this impossible world, is Clay Lockhart—ageless, timeless, yet deeply human.
The unfolding connection between Ellie and Clay is so tender, aching, and beautifully drawn that I found myself holding my breath. The way their stories entangle—how destiny, loss, and love shape and reshape them—feels mythic. Their emotional wounds mirror the fractured world around them: islands drifting, time unraveling. And yet, within all this darkness, Ernshaw offers threads of hope, healing, and rediscovery.
Overall: This novel is lyrical, epic, fantastical, devastating, and strangely comforting all at once. It is mind-bending in its structure, emotionally shattering in its character arcs, and breathtaking in its imagery. Ernshaw blends Scottish folklore, magical realism, dystopian moodiness, ecological themes, and deeply emotional storytelling so seamlessly that the result feels timeless. I loved every haunting detail, every atmospheric setting, every metaphor, every whispered hint of magic. This book is sad, dark, heavy—and yet filled with an almost celestial kind of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest hours, the stars still guide us home.
An unforgettable, luminous, and entirely immersive five-star read.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this mesmerizing novel’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4! Stunning love story. REVIEW TO FOLLOW
This is a story of an emotional exploration of love across time. The story follows Ellie who as a child discovered a mysterious floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia. There she met Clay, a man living alone in a farmhouse. The island disappears and no one believes Ellie that it ever existed. Decades later, Ellie who is now an adult, returns to it to uncover that Clay has not aged a single day.
This is a mix of magical realism and literary fiction and a time-bending romance.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Shea Ernshaw for an early copy!
Publication: July 7, 2026
This is a story of an emotional exploration of love across time. The story follows Ellie who as a child discovered a mysterious floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia. There she met Clay, a man living alone in a farmhouse. The island disappears and no one believes Ellie that it ever existed. Decades later, Ellie who is now an adult, returns to it to uncover that Clay has not aged a single day.
This is a mix of magical realism and literary fiction and a time-bending romance.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Shea Ernshaw for an early copy!
Publication: July 7, 2026
Currently Reading
July 11, 2026In the mood for some time travel, gothic vibes and overall chaos ✨
July 9, 2026
3.75 stars
Sometimes, this was really boring tbh (especially towards the middle). At first, I also didn't believe in their love story but this somewhat changed throughout the novel. However, towards the end this really picked up the pace and got quite interesting, again. I can recommend this for fans of Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, even though I did enjoy said book way more than Habits of the Sea.
PS. Sorry that my reviews are so concise at the moment, I don't have the brain capacity to write an in depth review.
Sometimes, this was really boring tbh (especially towards the middle). At first, I also didn't believe in their love story but this somewhat changed throughout the novel. However, towards the end this really picked up the pace and got quite interesting, again. I can recommend this for fans of Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, even though I did enjoy said book way more than Habits of the Sea.
PS. Sorry that my reviews are so concise at the moment, I don't have the brain capacity to write an in depth review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book shines a harsh light on how we are always haunted by all the lives we are not living, on the fact that every choice we do make is also a choice we did not.
This may very well be Shea Ernshaw’s best work yet. Habits of the Sea isn't an action-packed, fast-paced story, Instead, expect a sleepy, calm, deep, and raw narrative that demands reflection. It is an absolutely beautiful, character-driven novel that explores themes of regret, love, loss, and the quiet bravery it takes to accept the decisions we’ve made.
The setting and atmosphere are seriously mesmerizing. I loved the grounded, realistic descriptions of hard work and survival, like the gardening, fishing, careful water usage, and tending to animals. It roots the mythical element of the story in something deeply believable. But what truly stole my heart was the inner life of the main character. She possesses so much depth and real emotion, putting into words those complex human feelings that are usually so incredibly hard to voice. She truly is not like other girls (book character girls, that is). If you are looking for a haunting, atmospheric tale that stays with you long after the final page, this is it.
Just received an ARC copy from Atria books. Thank you so much! I cannot wait to read this.
Habits of my Spending Habits: y'all know I will be pre-ordering this
This may very well be Shea Ernshaw’s best work yet. Habits of the Sea isn't an action-packed, fast-paced story, Instead, expect a sleepy, calm, deep, and raw narrative that demands reflection. It is an absolutely beautiful, character-driven novel that explores themes of regret, love, loss, and the quiet bravery it takes to accept the decisions we’ve made.
The setting and atmosphere are seriously mesmerizing. I loved the grounded, realistic descriptions of hard work and survival, like the gardening, fishing, careful water usage, and tending to animals. It roots the mythical element of the story in something deeply believable. But what truly stole my heart was the inner life of the main character. She possesses so much depth and real emotion, putting into words those complex human feelings that are usually so incredibly hard to voice. She truly is not like other girls (book character girls, that is). If you are looking for a haunting, atmospheric tale that stays with you long after the final page, this is it.
Just received an ARC copy from Atria books. Thank you so much! I cannot wait to read this.
Habits of my Spending Habits: y'all know I will be pre-ordering this
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐
🥁🥁 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... WE HAVE A NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR 🥁🥁
I have no words to express what I'm feeling 😭😭 This really made me reflect on everything. It's honestly dreadful but in a good way. The only thing I could criticize is that he knew her when she was 12, while he was in his thirties, but looking at the whole picture, I can forgive that (No PDF-ilia in sight, you guys). The real issue is that the FMC was on the island for nearly 7 months and somehow thought there was still a chance life would stay the same, like be for real 🙄
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I was always curious about "The Wicked Deep" and never got the chance to read it, so I was thrilled when I was invited to read this book. Tysm Netgalley and Atria Books, for this opportunity 💚🤎
🥁🥁 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... WE HAVE A NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR 🥁🥁
I have no words to express what I'm feeling 😭😭 This really made me reflect on everything. It's honestly dreadful but in a good way. The only thing I could criticize is that he knew her when she was 12, while he was in his thirties, but looking at the whole picture, I can forgive that (No PDF-ilia in sight, you guys). The real issue is that the FMC was on the island for nearly 7 months and somehow thought there was still a chance life would stay the same, like be for real 🙄
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I was always curious about "The Wicked Deep" and never got the chance to read it, so I was thrilled when I was invited to read this book. Tysm Netgalley and Atria Books, for this opportunity 💚🤎
July 6, 2026
I don’t know why I went into this expecting it to be spooky. I guess the cover kind of gives me that vibe but no, this is a romance novel lol oops. It’s basically Outlander but better. I did enjoy it though! Shea Ernshaw just has some kind of magical power to trick me, a certified romance hater, into caring about a fictional couple. I don’t appreciate being proven wrong but I’ll probably keep reading her books anyway lol
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@hollyheartsbooks...
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@hollyheartsbooks...
November 5, 2025
Depressing as FUCK
November 29, 2025
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review!
The premise had me hooked - a women rediscovers an island of myth after going missing on it as a child. What follows is her deciding if she returns to the life that she left behind or forges a new, more dangerous life on the island with the single other life-beaten inhabitant.
The beginning showed promise. There was mystery and atmosphere and everything that I came to expect from a Shea Ernshaw book. She has a talent with language and describing the natural world that cannot be denied. I can tell that this is a deeply personal book for her, and I can see how this novel could be cathartic to write and read.
Unfortunately, this one was not for me. The beginning felt like an atmospheric mystery, the middle was an unconvincing and literary romance, and then the end was a climate disaster/post-apocalyptic novel about survival. I don't believe that novels need to fit into a single genre, but I wish that there had been a stronger through-line between the distinct parts of the book. If I had believed any of the characters, perhaps I would have enjoyed this more, but I did not like our main character. I felt that I knew next to nothing about her besides the fact that she didn't trust herself and was not in love with her boyfriend/fiance on the mainland. And I never felt the chemistry between the leads. I just could not understand why they loved each other beyond the fact that they made each others' lives easier.
To the next point, I felt that this got oddly conservative feeling in the middle. There was a lot of talk about simpler times, about how history after the 1950's maybe didn't need to be mentioned to the male lead (who has been unattached from the modern world since the 50's). It was nicer to just mend socks, cook food, and collect eggs. Which is fine if that's what you'd like, but paired with the odd remark about history, it rubbed me the wrong way.
Finally, the last section of the book where they face climate disasters and find themselves as some of the last people on the earth was an odd turn, but understandable. I just think that this theme of grief, community, and climate disaster was much better tackled in I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
I think that this book will be perfect and emotional for some people. For some people, this beautiful, genre-defying, romantic saga will make them feel seen. And I'm so happy that this exists for those people. It's just not for me.
The premise had me hooked - a women rediscovers an island of myth after going missing on it as a child. What follows is her deciding if she returns to the life that she left behind or forges a new, more dangerous life on the island with the single other life-beaten inhabitant.
The beginning showed promise. There was mystery and atmosphere and everything that I came to expect from a Shea Ernshaw book. She has a talent with language and describing the natural world that cannot be denied. I can tell that this is a deeply personal book for her, and I can see how this novel could be cathartic to write and read.
Unfortunately, this one was not for me. The beginning felt like an atmospheric mystery, the middle was an unconvincing and literary romance, and then the end was a climate disaster/post-apocalyptic novel about survival. I don't believe that novels need to fit into a single genre, but I wish that there had been a stronger through-line between the distinct parts of the book. If I had believed any of the characters, perhaps I would have enjoyed this more, but I did not like our main character. I felt that I knew next to nothing about her besides the fact that she didn't trust herself and was not in love with her boyfriend/fiance on the mainland. And I never felt the chemistry between the leads. I just could not understand why they loved each other beyond the fact that they made each others' lives easier.
To the next point, I felt that this got oddly conservative feeling in the middle. There was a lot of talk about simpler times, about how history after the 1950's maybe didn't need to be mentioned to the male lead (who has been unattached from the modern world since the 50's). It was nicer to just mend socks, cook food, and collect eggs. Which is fine if that's what you'd like, but paired with the odd remark about history, it rubbed me the wrong way.
Finally, the last section of the book where they face climate disasters and find themselves as some of the last people on the earth was an odd turn, but understandable. I just think that this theme of grief, community, and climate disaster was much better tackled in I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
I think that this book will be perfect and emotional for some people. For some people, this beautiful, genre-defying, romantic saga will make them feel seen. And I'm so happy that this exists for those people. It's just not for me.
May 24, 2026
Conflicted with my review!
Very cool premise, and the beginning hooked me. However, after the 30% mark until 80%, we looped and looped in a repetitive manner with limited dialogue and the same inner feelings of Ellie. The romance never quite got there for me.
Cool idea, vanilla execution. Solid writing though.
Very cool premise, and the beginning hooked me. However, after the 30% mark until 80%, we looped and looped in a repetitive manner with limited dialogue and the same inner feelings of Ellie. The romance never quite got there for me.
Cool idea, vanilla execution. Solid writing though.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is exquisite in every way.
I was excited to read another adult novel from Shea Ernshaw as I loved A History of Wild Places. She is quickly becoming a new auto-read author for me. If you like Adrienne Young’s adult novels, particularly The Unmaking of June Farrow, you will like Habits of the Sea. The books have a very similar feel and atmosphere to each other.
Shea Ernshaw (like Adrienne Young) is very good at writing magical realism in the exact perfect way. Not too magical and not too realistic; it’s a perfect blend in the middle that feels like the genre was invented just so these authors could write their books.
Habits of the Sea is a little bleak while also being hopeful. I love the idea of a floating island out in the sea that travels wherever the winds blow it and upon which time flows differently. I could envision myself, like Ellie, giving up my life in this depressing world to live a slow life with the man I love on an isolated island away from the evil and chaos of the world. It’s so easy to get lost in this book.
I had absolutely no idea where the story was going. After about the 50% mark, everything was a surprise to me, but I genuinely loved the story and feel like it had a satisfying ending.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait for Shea’s next adult novel. Her writing is so captivating and enjoyable to read.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
I was excited to read another adult novel from Shea Ernshaw as I loved A History of Wild Places. She is quickly becoming a new auto-read author for me. If you like Adrienne Young’s adult novels, particularly The Unmaking of June Farrow, you will like Habits of the Sea. The books have a very similar feel and atmosphere to each other.
Shea Ernshaw (like Adrienne Young) is very good at writing magical realism in the exact perfect way. Not too magical and not too realistic; it’s a perfect blend in the middle that feels like the genre was invented just so these authors could write their books.
Habits of the Sea is a little bleak while also being hopeful. I love the idea of a floating island out in the sea that travels wherever the winds blow it and upon which time flows differently. I could envision myself, like Ellie, giving up my life in this depressing world to live a slow life with the man I love on an isolated island away from the evil and chaos of the world. It’s so easy to get lost in this book.
I had absolutely no idea where the story was going. After about the 50% mark, everything was a surprise to me, but I genuinely loved the story and feel like it had a satisfying ending.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait for Shea’s next adult novel. Her writing is so captivating and enjoyable to read.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
Did Not Finish
March 10, 2026I absolutely loved The Wicked Deep by this author, so I was really looking forward to try one of her adult novels. Sadly, I just don’t vibe with this at all.
The writing is relentlessly depressing, the story feels unporposeful and the characters lack any spark.
If you like very slow, bleak, and atmospheric reads you might like this, but for me this was just way too miserable. I’ve decided to put it down at 31%.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
The writing is relentlessly depressing, the story feels unporposeful and the characters lack any spark.
If you like very slow, bleak, and atmospheric reads you might like this, but for me this was just way too miserable. I’ve decided to put it down at 31%.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
July 12, 2026
What a wild ride - literally!
An island that drifts around the Atlantic and a protagonist who hasn't aged more than a year since the first time that Ellie met him twenty years earlier?!? Ellie was brainwashed by her therapists - and the rest of the world - and was made to believe that she had imagined her entire youthful adventure on this enchanged island. The gruff Scotsman who inhabits the house on the hill of this island hasn't aged at all, whereas Ellie is in her thirties when news of mass sightings of the magical island are reported on the news, sending Ellie off to the Faroe Islands to finally confirm whether Clayton Lockhart actually existed.
(Question: did I miss something during the scene where Ellie leaves that note at the deserted island resort? In that note she calls herself Ellie Lockhart-Wells. This totally confused me. Was "Wells" Ellie's father's surname, or her mother and her Nana's last name? I know that at one point, after her mother moved to California, Ellie changed her first name from Eleanor to Ellie... but I suspect I missed something regarding the "Wells" surname....)
Before I decided to put in a request for this ARC, I took the precaution of reading a few reviews from fellow NetGalley Reviewers. I had to laugh when I read one reviewer's remark that the sex was your basic penetration with no foreplay. I beg to differ: the author certainly did not get overly explicit (thank you so very much!) during the sex scenes., but they were still quite steamy and sensual. I enjoyed and appluaded those- toned down (but still quite romantic!) sessions. I stopped reading romance novels a few years ago because I was seriously getting turned off by all the casual bedroom hopping and the gratuitous rough-play. I'm no prude, and I've enjoyed many a juicy romance novel in the past, but I'm done with all those overly explicit sex scenes. I like that the author allowed the characters their privacy by dwelling more on their emotions and inner conflicts. The reader was there in the bedroom with the characters, but we weren't given a "blow by blow" description - thank heavens!
The gut-wrenching dilemma in this novel kept me turning the pages, wondering what Ellie would do! Ellie loved Clay, but could she really give up literally EVERYTHING and everyone she once knew for a life adrift on that paranormal island?
I hated having to put this ebook down for such mundane pursuits as working, eating and sleeping! Highly recommended: this was, without a doubt, great storytelling! Magical realism, time-travel, icebergs, feast, famine... and pirates! This was a totally consuming, enjoyable read, from the author who had me shrieking with horror when I read A History of Wild Places . My thanks to the author, Shea Ernshaw, her publisher, Atria, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Five well earned stars!
An island that drifts around the Atlantic and a protagonist who hasn't aged more than a year since the first time that Ellie met him twenty years earlier?!? Ellie was brainwashed by her therapists - and the rest of the world - and was made to believe that she had imagined her entire youthful adventure on this enchanged island. The gruff Scotsman who inhabits the house on the hill of this island hasn't aged at all, whereas Ellie is in her thirties when news of mass sightings of the magical island are reported on the news, sending Ellie off to the Faroe Islands to finally confirm whether Clayton Lockhart actually existed.
(Question: did I miss something during the scene where Ellie leaves that note at the deserted island resort? In that note she calls herself Ellie Lockhart-Wells. This totally confused me. Was "Wells" Ellie's father's surname, or her mother and her Nana's last name? I know that at one point, after her mother moved to California, Ellie changed her first name from Eleanor to Ellie... but I suspect I missed something regarding the "Wells" surname....)
Before I decided to put in a request for this ARC, I took the precaution of reading a few reviews from fellow NetGalley Reviewers. I had to laugh when I read one reviewer's remark that the sex was your basic penetration with no foreplay. I beg to differ: the author certainly did not get overly explicit (thank you so very much!) during the sex scenes., but they were still quite steamy and sensual. I enjoyed and appluaded those- toned down (but still quite romantic!) sessions. I stopped reading romance novels a few years ago because I was seriously getting turned off by all the casual bedroom hopping and the gratuitous rough-play. I'm no prude, and I've enjoyed many a juicy romance novel in the past, but I'm done with all those overly explicit sex scenes. I like that the author allowed the characters their privacy by dwelling more on their emotions and inner conflicts. The reader was there in the bedroom with the characters, but we weren't given a "blow by blow" description - thank heavens!
The gut-wrenching dilemma in this novel kept me turning the pages, wondering what Ellie would do! Ellie loved Clay, but could she really give up literally EVERYTHING and everyone she once knew for a life adrift on that paranormal island?
I hated having to put this ebook down for such mundane pursuits as working, eating and sleeping! Highly recommended: this was, without a doubt, great storytelling! Magical realism, time-travel, icebergs, feast, famine... and pirates! This was a totally consuming, enjoyable read, from the author who had me shrieking with horror when I read A History of Wild Places . My thanks to the author, Shea Ernshaw, her publisher, Atria, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Five well earned stars!
July 8, 2026
Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw delivers an atmospheric, emotionally rich novel with Habits of the Sea. Her lyrical writing creates a vivid sense of place, making the coastal setting feel as much a character as the people inhabiting it.
I especially appreciated the depth of the characters and the way the themes of grief, family, belonging, and healing were explored with nuance. Ernshaw's blend of haunting beauty and emotional storytelling shines throughout the novel.
While there were moments where the pacing felt slower than I would have liked, and a few plot developments that I wished had been explored in greater depth, however the write real carries to lessen these issues with the overall impact of the story. The immersive atmosphere and elegant prose made this a compelling and memorable read.
Thank you Shea Ernshaw, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I especially appreciated the depth of the characters and the way the themes of grief, family, belonging, and healing were explored with nuance. Ernshaw's blend of haunting beauty and emotional storytelling shines throughout the novel.
While there were moments where the pacing felt slower than I would have liked, and a few plot developments that I wished had been explored in greater depth, however the write real carries to lessen these issues with the overall impact of the story. The immersive atmosphere and elegant prose made this a compelling and memorable read.
Thank you Shea Ernshaw, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2026
5 Stars!!
This is my favorite book of hers!! It transported me into this story, i felt SO emotional and on the edge of my seat! I read this so fast because I had to know what happens!!! SOOOO GOOD! Now I need to read every one of her books, such a great story!! An absolute favorite!
This is my favorite book of hers!! It transported me into this story, i felt SO emotional and on the edge of my seat! I read this so fast because I had to know what happens!!! SOOOO GOOD! Now I need to read every one of her books, such a great story!! An absolute favorite!
July 13, 2026
| rating: 4.25 ★
Habits of the Sea is incredibly bleak, masked as a cozy romance set against a background of magical realism. I went into this with a degree of suspension of disbelief, which I always find best for works with magical realism. I didn’t go into this wanting to know how exactly the island winds up adrift into the sea or how time worked in this place. If that’s something that you want to know, then I don’t think this is necessarily the book for you.
When she was 12 years old, Ellie Mills encountered the mythical Saltwell Island, a floating piece of land that had split from the western coast of Scotland nearly 55 years ago. There, she meets the island’s sole inhabitant, Clay Lockhart. One night for Ellie on Saltwell Island ends up being a week in her life and, when she returns, no one seems to believe that the island actually insists. 20 years later and Ellie is a successful psychologist with a boyfriend-maybe-fiancé and yet, the memory of Saltwell lingers in her mind. When Saltwell is sighted again in the Faroe Islands, Ellie jumps at the chance to confirm what she’s known all along—that Saltwell is real and Clay Lockhart lives. But now, Ellie isn’t just sure that it’s real. Instead, she becomes a part of its legend.
The writing was incredibly atmospheric. I thought that it really cultivated a dreamy and disjointed narrative that worked well with the plot. If this book was longer, then I would’ve disliked the pacing, but it was perfect for its length. I didn’t necessarily enjoy Ellie’s character. I thought she was fickle and indecisive and even though she claimed she loved Clay, her actions said otherwise. I understood why she wanted to keep going back to her old life, but I was seriously fed up with her. I also thought that Clay was naive and a little sea-mad, but overall I thought they were cute. I enjoyed their romance, how it built up, and the glimpses of their domestic life together.
Of course, living on an island for decades would lead to a bit of a dystopian moment. It reminded me of Nevil Shute’s On the Beach, which I read in my undergrad. That dystopian aspect is a little glossed over and I think it was more of an afterthought.
This book is definitely not for everyone. I think I was in the mood for this, which is why I liked it so much.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC!
Habits of the Sea is incredibly bleak, masked as a cozy romance set against a background of magical realism. I went into this with a degree of suspension of disbelief, which I always find best for works with magical realism. I didn’t go into this wanting to know how exactly the island winds up adrift into the sea or how time worked in this place. If that’s something that you want to know, then I don’t think this is necessarily the book for you.
When she was 12 years old, Ellie Mills encountered the mythical Saltwell Island, a floating piece of land that had split from the western coast of Scotland nearly 55 years ago. There, she meets the island’s sole inhabitant, Clay Lockhart. One night for Ellie on Saltwell Island ends up being a week in her life and, when she returns, no one seems to believe that the island actually insists. 20 years later and Ellie is a successful psychologist with a boyfriend-maybe-fiancé and yet, the memory of Saltwell lingers in her mind. When Saltwell is sighted again in the Faroe Islands, Ellie jumps at the chance to confirm what she’s known all along—that Saltwell is real and Clay Lockhart lives. But now, Ellie isn’t just sure that it’s real. Instead, she becomes a part of its legend.
The writing was incredibly atmospheric. I thought that it really cultivated a dreamy and disjointed narrative that worked well with the plot. If this book was longer, then I would’ve disliked the pacing, but it was perfect for its length. I didn’t necessarily enjoy Ellie’s character. I thought she was fickle and indecisive and even though she claimed she loved Clay, her actions said otherwise. I understood why she wanted to keep going back to her old life, but I was seriously fed up with her. I also thought that Clay was naive and a little sea-mad, but overall I thought they were cute. I enjoyed their romance, how it built up, and the glimpses of their domestic life together.
Of course, living on an island for decades would lead to a bit of a dystopian moment. It reminded me of Nevil Shute’s On the Beach, which I read in my undergrad. That dystopian aspect is a little glossed over and I think it was more of an afterthought.
This book is definitely not for everyone. I think I was in the mood for this, which is why I liked it so much.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC!
November 26, 2025
2.5⭐️Unfortunately this was not for me. The premise was fascinating - a floating island that bends what we know about time. However, I couldn’t quite connect with the main character. Some of the decisions she made were frustrating. I enjoyed the writing and the beginning of the book. This was also definitely more romance than I expected. I’d recommend if you love romance and character driven stories!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
July 10, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Shea Ernshaw unfortunately I have found is just not an author for me. I've tried a few of her other books and was not impressed but the premise of this sounded so good. With magical realism of an island that randomly appears with a single man on it and one woman ever actually going to the island and coming back dealing with not being believed until she becomes an adult and has a second chance to encounter it again? Sounded great! However, this turned out to be more of a romance and did not fully touch upon the lore of the island except for the expected. If it sounds good to you give it a try, unfortunately this will be my last from the author.
Shea Ernshaw unfortunately I have found is just not an author for me. I've tried a few of her other books and was not impressed but the premise of this sounded so good. With magical realism of an island that randomly appears with a single man on it and one woman ever actually going to the island and coming back dealing with not being believed until she becomes an adult and has a second chance to encounter it again? Sounded great! However, this turned out to be more of a romance and did not fully touch upon the lore of the island except for the expected. If it sounds good to you give it a try, unfortunately this will be my last from the author.
March 17, 2026
Rounded up from 4.5 stars. Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for a copy of Habits of the Sea in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book. It was haunting, moody, and spell binding. Shea has such a gift at creating stories that are so layered in magic and folklore while also having characters who absolutely feel real. I couldn’t put this book down. I would have loved to see more of the ending but I think it’s nice to be left open ended. I loved the magical realism element, I loved the tension in the book and the soft yearning.
November 25, 2025
4.5/5 Stars
Habits of the Sea was such a hauntingly beautiful book. It was emotional and heartbreaking and exactly what I needed. This is the type of book I mean when I say I want a devastatingly beautiful love story that stands the test of time. Ellie and Clay’s story is one that stay with me.
I highly recommend you adding this to your preorder list!
Habits of the Sea was such a hauntingly beautiful book. It was emotional and heartbreaking and exactly what I needed. This is the type of book I mean when I say I want a devastatingly beautiful love story that stands the test of time. Ellie and Clay’s story is one that stay with me.
I highly recommend you adding this to your preorder list!
July 11, 2026
Shea Ernshaw has written some other books that I’ve had on my To-Read list, but “Habits of the Sea” was the first book I’ve managed to get my hands on.
And…I’m perplexed. The story is definitely split into two parts: Ellie after her first visit to the island, and Ellie after her second visit. There were things I enjoyed about both parts, but the farther we got into the second visit, the weirder things got. It became an odd treatise on climate change, even while Clay and Ellie’s story continued on the island, and yes, I do believe in climate change. The ending itself was desperately confusing and unsatisfying.
Some other issues I had were with Ellie herself. Her decisions were impulsive, and she was so obsessed with the island that she threw herself at it without thinking AT ALL about her loved ones who would be devastated without her. Also, meeting Clay as a 12-year-old and then getting together in their thirties was something I couldn’t quite get past. I know, I know, they met each other as adults the second time, but it just taints the relationship with an “ick” factor, especially in today’s climate.
The writing in here is gorgeous, though, and the premise is certainly unique, and it hooked me enough to request the book. I highlighted a fair amount of phrases and descriptions due to their sheer beauty. I just don’t know that the plot held up, ultimately. However, I will still read Ernshaw’s next book, and I hope to catch up on her previous work.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you, as always, to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
And…I’m perplexed. The story is definitely split into two parts: Ellie after her first visit to the island, and Ellie after her second visit. There were things I enjoyed about both parts, but the farther we got into the second visit, the weirder things got. It became an odd treatise on climate change, even while Clay and Ellie’s story continued on the island, and yes, I do believe in climate change. The ending itself was desperately confusing and unsatisfying.
Some other issues I had were with Ellie herself. Her decisions were impulsive, and she was so obsessed with the island that she threw herself at it without thinking AT ALL about her loved ones who would be devastated without her. Also, meeting Clay as a 12-year-old and then getting together in their thirties was something I couldn’t quite get past. I know, I know, they met each other as adults the second time, but it just taints the relationship with an “ick” factor, especially in today’s climate.
The writing in here is gorgeous, though, and the premise is certainly unique, and it hooked me enough to request the book. I highlighted a fair amount of phrases and descriptions due to their sheer beauty. I just don’t know that the plot held up, ultimately. However, I will still read Ernshaw’s next book, and I hope to catch up on her previous work.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you, as always, to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 13, 2026
Be still my tender, loving heart! This book has earned a place in my top ten reads of all time.
Shea Ernshaw has created something quietly magical, a drifting island, a love story that stretches beyond time, and an atmosphere that completely swept me away. I’m an absolute sucker for magical realism, and this hit every mark for me. I’m so sad it’s over but now must go read more of her work
Shea Ernshaw has created something quietly magical, a drifting island, a love story that stretches beyond time, and an atmosphere that completely swept me away. I’m an absolute sucker for magical realism, and this hit every mark for me. I’m so sad it’s over but now must go read more of her work
Want to Read
May 5, 2026Thank you, Atria Books, for sending me this ARC.
Pub Date Jul 07 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. ✨🦋
Pub Date Jul 07 2026
As always, all thoughts are my own. ✨🦋
February 3, 2026
Habits of the Sea is a quiet, aching love story that unfolds with remarkable emotional restraint.
This novel approaches love deliberately, allowing it to grow through atmosphere, shared silences, and emotional honesty rather than grand gestures. The setting (which is so closely tied to the sea) feels inseparable from the relationship at the heart of the story, shaping both the characters and the bond between them in subtle but meaningful ways.
The pacing is unhurried but intentional, giving the relationship space to feel lived-in and earned. Rather than rushing emotional beats, the story trusts the reader to sit with longing, uncertainty, and connection as they naturally evolve. The result is a love story that feels grounded and deeply human.
Ellie and Clay’s relationship is the emotional anchor of the novel, and it’s written with tenderness and care. Their connection builds through presence and mutual understanding, making the emotional payoff feel authentic rather than idealized.
What lingered most for me after finishing this book was a sense of ache…not sadness exactly, but a quiet longing for a love that feels this steady, this attentive, and this real. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page.
One line in particular captured the emotional core of the story for me: “We all crave something. A thing we can’t say aloud. A life unspoken, a life pushed aside and forgotten. Few of us go after it, recklessly, willing to burn the old life to the ground.”
That quiet recklessness…the courage to choose a life that feels true…felt central to Ellie and Clay’s journey and helped explain why the ending felt inevitable rather than surprising.
Overall, this was a beautifully rendered, emotionally resonant read that exceeded my expectations.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
This novel approaches love deliberately, allowing it to grow through atmosphere, shared silences, and emotional honesty rather than grand gestures. The setting (which is so closely tied to the sea) feels inseparable from the relationship at the heart of the story, shaping both the characters and the bond between them in subtle but meaningful ways.
The pacing is unhurried but intentional, giving the relationship space to feel lived-in and earned. Rather than rushing emotional beats, the story trusts the reader to sit with longing, uncertainty, and connection as they naturally evolve. The result is a love story that feels grounded and deeply human.
Ellie and Clay’s relationship is the emotional anchor of the novel, and it’s written with tenderness and care. Their connection builds through presence and mutual understanding, making the emotional payoff feel authentic rather than idealized.
What lingered most for me after finishing this book was a sense of ache…not sadness exactly, but a quiet longing for a love that feels this steady, this attentive, and this real. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page.
One line in particular captured the emotional core of the story for me: “We all crave something. A thing we can’t say aloud. A life unspoken, a life pushed aside and forgotten. Few of us go after it, recklessly, willing to burn the old life to the ground.”
That quiet recklessness…the courage to choose a life that feels true…felt central to Ellie and Clay’s journey and helped explain why the ending felt inevitable rather than surprising.
Overall, this was a beautifully rendered, emotionally resonant read that exceeded my expectations.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
February 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Achingly beautiful, exquisitely written, deeply longing. Shea Ernshaw masterfully weaves magical realism with themes of identity, home, purpose & fate, and the ecological impact of our human footprints in this stunning love story. It feels like I was in a dream that I didn’t want to wake from, gently lulling and emotionally driven. There was something so comforting in how simple life became on this magical island that defied the boundaries of time and place.
Ellie Mills is a burned out therapist who can’t seem to settle in the life she has built for herself. Newly engaged to a wonderful man named James, she cannot figure out why she feels so restless and discontent. Then she receives a phone call from a social media reporter who claims she remembers Ellie’s childhood experience of Saltwell Island, a fabled island that floats upon the sea and disappears. It has been sighted once again and Ellie feels drawn to see it, having not been believed as a child. From there she finds herself, on the island with a man named Clay who never aged and having to determine what life she wishes to live and the impact that will have for her future.
I loved Shea Ernshaw’s A History of Wild Places and couldn’t wait to pick this one up and it didn’t disappoint! This story was dreamy, sensual, and emotional. Loved every moment I was immersed within the pages.
Achingly beautiful, exquisitely written, deeply longing. Shea Ernshaw masterfully weaves magical realism with themes of identity, home, purpose & fate, and the ecological impact of our human footprints in this stunning love story. It feels like I was in a dream that I didn’t want to wake from, gently lulling and emotionally driven. There was something so comforting in how simple life became on this magical island that defied the boundaries of time and place.
Ellie Mills is a burned out therapist who can’t seem to settle in the life she has built for herself. Newly engaged to a wonderful man named James, she cannot figure out why she feels so restless and discontent. Then she receives a phone call from a social media reporter who claims she remembers Ellie’s childhood experience of Saltwell Island, a fabled island that floats upon the sea and disappears. It has been sighted once again and Ellie feels drawn to see it, having not been believed as a child. From there she finds herself, on the island with a man named Clay who never aged and having to determine what life she wishes to live and the impact that will have for her future.
I loved Shea Ernshaw’s A History of Wild Places and couldn’t wait to pick this one up and it didn’t disappoint! This story was dreamy, sensual, and emotional. Loved every moment I was immersed within the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
‘…a woman rediscovers the mythical island she stumbled upon as a child—and the man she once met who apparently hasn’t aged—and must choose between the life she’s built and a love that defies the laws of time and nature.’
I’ve always been a big S. E. fan so it’s no surprise how hungry I was for this arc.
Habits of the Sea is a hearty brew of fantasy, mystery, magical realism & something reminiscent of time travel. So naturally when I got into the thick of it, the questions of “how’s” and “why’s” began to swirl around. But I shoved them aside & let myself sink into this sort of comforting suspension of disbelief, which I found easy to do. A seamless descent only made possible by Ernshaw’s capable hands & remarkable talent.
This is a story rich in folklore, myths and legends, entwined with concepts of time, heartache & a love story for the ages. Once I started, I could not stop. I devoured this book whole. I was living in this book. & I won’t soon forget it.
Big thanks to Atria for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub: 7.7.2026.
I’ve always been a big S. E. fan so it’s no surprise how hungry I was for this arc.
Habits of the Sea is a hearty brew of fantasy, mystery, magical realism & something reminiscent of time travel. So naturally when I got into the thick of it, the questions of “how’s” and “why’s” began to swirl around. But I shoved them aside & let myself sink into this sort of comforting suspension of disbelief, which I found easy to do. A seamless descent only made possible by Ernshaw’s capable hands & remarkable talent.
This is a story rich in folklore, myths and legends, entwined with concepts of time, heartache & a love story for the ages. Once I started, I could not stop. I devoured this book whole. I was living in this book. & I won’t soon forget it.
Big thanks to Atria for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub: 7.7.2026.
May 28, 2026
First off, I thought this author's writing style was beautiful, lush and evocative, excellent at setting an atmospheric, fantastic scene. For the first half of the book I was hooked on the vibes and the sense of being swept away with a real Outlander feel, but add in an unexplained floating island adrift to time. But then the love story disappointed me. This is the kind of heterosexual romance, where a strong woman secretly yearns to be rescued by a man, that I have grown tired of.
In the first half of the book though I was rooting for Ellie, who had been searching for the floating island ever since she was a child. She has a good life in Seattle, about to marry a boring nice guy, and she had a seemingly rewarding career as a child psychologist. But something has always haunted her since losing the mysterious island of legend, the sense of a life unfinished. A podcaster contacts her with a new sighting of the island and she runs off to the Faroe Islands, where she finds what she was looking for.
At first I loved Clay and Ellie together and their slow burn, tender love story, their yearning for each other, Ellie wanting to piece together a man so broken by grief over his lost wife that he drifts through time. I even found the love triangle compelling, though I thought James deserved better.
But in the second half of the book, aside from more adventure at the end, they simply drift around the world as subsistence farmers, having sex and raising chickens, and I just got bored. The sex didn't seem worth leaving all the comforts of modern life behind; man didn't even know foreplay. It was all penetrative sex all the time.
So in the end it felt very anti-feminist and Ellie was not a particularly badass woman. She was just yet another woman who needs a man to validate her existence, and realizes that maybe she doesn't need to be the one saving everyone all the time and it's okay to be the one being saved. Okay. But I was never convinced that Ellie was really happy with her new life. She just traded one incompleteness for a different kind.
But the prose was beautiful and as a piece of climate fiction I found it compelling. I just think this would have worked better as a novella. I would however read this author again, there was enough here that I did like. It just never quite came together for me, and I wanted Ellie to be a more independent, modern woman instead of simply realizing that the tradwife life was the most fulfilling one she'd ever find. I guess feminists would say that we should applaud stay at home mothers too, because it's their choice, but the message didn't sit right with me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In the first half of the book though I was rooting for Ellie, who had been searching for the floating island ever since she was a child. She has a good life in Seattle, about to marry a boring nice guy, and she had a seemingly rewarding career as a child psychologist. But something has always haunted her since losing the mysterious island of legend, the sense of a life unfinished. A podcaster contacts her with a new sighting of the island and she runs off to the Faroe Islands, where she finds what she was looking for.
At first I loved Clay and Ellie together and their slow burn, tender love story, their yearning for each other, Ellie wanting to piece together a man so broken by grief over his lost wife that he drifts through time. I even found the love triangle compelling, though I thought James deserved better.
But in the second half of the book, aside from more adventure at the end, they simply drift around the world as subsistence farmers, having sex and raising chickens, and I just got bored. The sex didn't seem worth leaving all the comforts of modern life behind; man didn't even know foreplay. It was all penetrative sex all the time.
So in the end it felt very anti-feminist and Ellie was not a particularly badass woman. She was just yet another woman who needs a man to validate her existence, and realizes that maybe she doesn't need to be the one saving everyone all the time and it's okay to be the one being saved. Okay. But I was never convinced that Ellie was really happy with her new life. She just traded one incompleteness for a different kind.
But the prose was beautiful and as a piece of climate fiction I found it compelling. I just think this would have worked better as a novella. I would however read this author again, there was enough here that I did like. It just never quite came together for me, and I wanted Ellie to be a more independent, modern woman instead of simply realizing that the tradwife life was the most fulfilling one she'd ever find. I guess feminists would say that we should applaud stay at home mothers too, because it's their choice, but the message didn't sit right with me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 16, 2026
Oh my goodness, "Habits of the Sea" by Shea Ernshaw was so good! The writing is top-notch and the story was just so lovely. This genre-defying book blends elements of magical realism, romance, and a bit of mystery to create a beautiful tale of yearning, love, and loss. Ernshaw's lyrical writing is as rhythmic as the sea and I felt like I was being moved along by the tide as I read. I could identify with Ellie, a woman living a life in which she didn't quite feel like she belonged, and became emotionally attached to her as her story unfolded. The characters and the setting came alive to me and jumped from the pages into my heart.
Thank you NetGalley for introducing a new-to-me author. Now I must go and read all of her other books!
Thank you NetGalley for introducing a new-to-me author. Now I must go and read all of her other books!
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