The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant.
Unexpectedly, Kait is awoken by a beautiful, selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure.
Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?

Goodreads Summary


Written in dialect, The Lure of Shapinsay was an excellent read.  Selkies, seal-humans, have always fascinated me.  They are not mermaids, but humans who live as seals in the ocean and can take off their seal skins to be humans on the land.  These beautiful mythical creatures drive Holle’s story.  The day Kait’s life begins to change is completely normal.  She is at the market, bartering for goods when she learns that her close friend has given birth.  Instead of cheers and celebration, however, everyone is quiet, unnerved, and bitter.  Kait’s friend gave birth to a selkie child.  Believing that he is evil, the baby’s grandfather drowns him in the ocean.  Kait tries to save her friend’s child, but she is too late.  A selkie man sees the events, but thinks that Kait is the murderer!  Eamon, the selkie, seeks revenge for the baby, but falls in love with Kait instead.
    Holle drew me into the story from page one.  While reading this book, I laughed, cried, and blushed.  There is a great cast of characters; each is memorable with a distinct personality.  Most adult, female readers would love this novel because of the romance and adventure. 

4 Stars

*Reviewed by Kristin*

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