Cygnet River

by Sharron Martin

She refused to stay silent.

Ireland 1975, at the height of the Troubles, young wife and mother Kitty Devlin has it all —until the night her doctor husband vanishes with his receptionist, leaving a typed note, empty bank accounts, and a scandal that rocks her rural town.
Branded a deserted wife and left penniless, Kitty struggles to rebuild her life within the confines of Catholic convention. As she navigates the challenges of her situation, the embers of an old flame reignite, drawing condemnation from the Church and the attention of the parish priest.
When an accident lands her daughter in hospital, her husband returns, determined to take custody of the children she has worked so hard to protect. In desperation, Kitty uncovers secret alliances, moral hypocrisy, and dangerous connections that could threaten them all. She is forced to confront the dark undercurrents of her town and make an impossible choice between custody of her children and a future with the man she loves.
Scandal, betrayal, and forbidden desire collide in Cygnet River, a gripping story of love, resilience, and one woman’s fight to reclaim her life.

330 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2026

About the author

Irish born New Zealander, Sharron Martin lives with her husband, three teenage children and menagerie of animals on the north shore of Auckland. Always an avid reader, she grew up on a diet rich in Irish literature and devoured every book she could get her hands on. Sharron earned a degree and a masters in Information Systems from Massey University and has spent most of her working life in the IT Industry. A keen writer, she published her first novel 'Discovering Orla' in June 2023.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Viljoen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: Cygnet River by Sharron Martin.

Disclaimer: The author, Sharron Martin, is a member of the North Shore Writers Group, and I had the privilege of seeing this novel develop over the past year.

She also completed the 30-week novel-writing programme at The Creative Hub, where the story benefited from valuable feedback. The striking cover was designed by Sharron’s daughter, Antonia, a talented and award-winning graphic designer.

Cygnet River is a compelling historical novel set in Ireland at a time when divorce was illegal and social structures strongly favoured male authority. The story follows Kitty, whose life collapses when her husband Gerald, a respected doctor, leaves her and their two children for his receptionist.

Without financial support, legal protection, or help from her own family, Kitty finds herself isolated in a conservative town where gossip travels much faster than compassion. Determined to survive, she petitions the council for housing and eventually finds work at a house agency. Yet survival comes at a cost, and the balance between earning a living and caring for her children becomes a pretty fragile situation.

Rather than offering care and support, Gerald’s parents and a policeman connected to Gerald’s circle raise doubts about her ability to care for the children. Kitty must confront a system that offers her very little protection.

Set against the tensions of Ireland during the Troubles, the novel also touches on the shadowy world of arms smuggling linked to the Provisional IRA.

At its heart, however, this is the story of a woman who refuses to give up.

Martin portrays Kitty’s journey with empathy as she grows from vulnerability toward strength and independence. For modern readers the novel offers a striking reminder that the rigid social constraints it describes existed within living memory. Despite the serious themes, the story also includes moments of warmth and romance that will appeal to many readers.

A moving novel about resilience and holding on to dignity. Kitty is a remarkable woman, who shows the courage required to rebuild a life.

[Robyn Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1970’s Catholic Ireland, Kitty is suddenly in a desperate situation, and it gets worse. With the lack of support from her parents and absent family she turns to an old friend to help her she find her way.
Kitty’s initial naive and trusting nature grows as she reclaims who she is and what she can achieve.
Kitty will do whatever it takes to hold onto the custody of her children, putting so much at risk.
The book had me captivated and the weekend tasks were forgotten as I prioritised Cygnet River over anything else.
Highly recommend.

[Sharyn Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a captivating read. It pulls you in to the life of Kitty a ‘deserted wife’. Leading you through the trials, the triumph, the heartbreak, and the love within her journey.

I couldn’t put it down!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty Devlin had it all. Two beautiful children, a doctor husband who let her live the high life in a small town in Ireland. But when her husband runs off with his secretary, not only musts he learn to fend for herself, she must also face the judgement of a society and religion that has no place for a deserted wife.

Cygnet River is a tense and intimate portrayal of what it is like to be judged by society for another's crimes and left to fend for oneself. It is a heartfelt discussion of the role society ahs to play in shaping the circumstances of those who need help the most, and how a those in need can be reduced to objects of mockery and scandal rather than people deserving of help. It also explores the impact of children in such situations, and how intergenerational problems can be caused by subjecting chilren to the punishment seen as 'deserved' by the parent.

Cygnet River is also a reminder of the strength of true friendship, second chances, and seeing people for who they are rather than their circumstances, as Kitty learns that she too has been unfairly looking down upon less fortunate members of society while lavishing in her apparently endless relative wealth.

[Catherine Scullin · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Sharron Martin’s Cygnet River navigates the profound complexities of 1970s Ireland with a distinct, stirring gravity, her work shares a beautiful lineage with the legendary Marian Keyes through its deep, unblinking empathy for the female experience. Like Keyes, Martin possesses a remarkable gift for exploring the most sensitive and challenging corners of domestic life, such as social expectation, while ensuring the book is impossible to put down. Sharron masterfully balances the weight of the theme with a profound sense of hope and resilience, proving that even in the face of institutional or personal adversity, the journey toward self-discovery is one worth cheering on. Sharron Martin’s debut signals the arrival of a powerful new voice that, much like Keyes, isn’t afraid to look at the hard truths of the heart with both unflinching honesty and immense warmth.

[Madeleine Eskedahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author


A wonderful book set in 1970’s Ireland when divorce was illegal and the shame and stigma single mothers were made to feel and suffer through, when they’d been abandoned by their husbands.
This story is about Kitty, who’s life completely collapses when her husband Gerald, a respected doctor, leaves her and their children for his receptionist.
Without money, legal support or help from her family, Kitty is determined to get through and manage on her own, and will do anything in her power to hold onto the custody of her children.
This is a beautiful story about survival, and a woman who refuses to give up. The author has done a wonderful job in drawing exceptional characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

[Timothy Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was all set to be bored by this book, as it is not my usual genre, but I was so wrong!

A story about a woman whose husband leaves her? Why would I read that?

Well, the historic aspect of when the novel is set and the laws that applied to women at the time, make this much more than I was expecting. Throw in a great lead who doesn’t know just how strong she is, a delightful group of friends, family, and foes not to mention something dodgy going on, and you get a book that you can’t put down. I read it in four days.

[Peter Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cygnet River follow the story of a young Mother, Kitty Donovan in the mid 1970’s in Ireland. I found it a very good read, it’s a mixture of romance, mystery and history and it all comes together really nicely. There was a real feel for how it was to live during those times and it added hugely to the book. Would thoroughly recommend it. My wife (who doesn’t read many books) also read through this and shared similar views… in fact she could hardly put it done until she had finished it.

[Rebecca Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, as someone who had a very catholic upbringing it felt like curling up with an old friend. Sharron's descriptions are evocative and vivid. The journey Kitty is forced upon sparks outrage, more so when you know this was a reality for many women in Ireland at this time. Her strength and growth celebrates the complexity of relationships amid difficult situations and the importance of friends. A deeply enjoyable and satisfying read.

[Margaret O'Keeffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read that captures Ireland in the 1970's and the struggles of mothers who have been abandoned by their husbands and the struggles and shame they are made to feel.. I really enjoyed it.

[Sarah Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story that kept me captivated, wanting to know how it would all play out. An easy read with engaging, lively characters that draw you in. Highly recommend!