Title: Of Salt and SweetnessAuthor: Amber Night
Pages: 151
Publication Date: Jan. 10, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical
Synopsis:
A barmaid at a crossroads. A sailor at loose ends. One fateful New Year’s Eve.
London Docklands, 31 December 1867
Cordelia has her life mapped out. Steady work keeps her in coin. An engagement to a man of good standing secures her future. So what if their nuptials are a far-off dream? Her betrothed has promised her the best. Surely, sweet words and sweeter kisses deserve steadfast commitment. That sailor in the corner ought not even register, coming and going like the tides, all smiles.
And when her fiancé visits unexpectedly on New Year’s Eve, their future beckons. Or does it?
Fresh off his decommissioned barque, James knows he cannot rest before he seeks new opportunities. Just long enough to stop by at The Gun to reassure himself Cordelia is well. He missed his chance when he first met her; now he admires from afar. She won’t be his. Not ever. He’s made his peace with that.
But he will always help her if she needs him. Protect her. No matter what change life decides to spring upon her without notice.
They say what happens at the stroke of midnight defines your coming year.
That the beginning is always today.
And that love is a promise kept.
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Of Salt and Sweetness was just the romantic novella I needed! It’s a quick and interesting read, and Cordelia and James’s story is one of those romances that I enjoyed from the start. I quickly became invested in both characters and their swoon-worthy love story.
Cordelia is tough and resourceful, and James… James is wonderful!! Both are fantastic characters you can’t help but root for. Cordelia’s got her life all figured out—steady work, a fiancé, and a future that seems pretty solid. But her fiancé is not the man she thought he was, and suddenly, her entire life is in upheaval.
James, the quiet, swoony sailor who’s been showing up at her bar for ages, is always there with a kind word and a steady presence. Secretly, he’s been holding a torch Cordelia for ages. He’s the kind of hero that makes me melt. He’s protective, sweet, and totally head over heels for Cordelia, but he never pushes. He just quietly supports her, and when she really needs someone, he’s there—no questions asked. He is THE ultimate cinnamon roll. With a career change imminent, James’s future is as uncertain as Cordelia’s, and he has important choices to make that could change the trajectory of his life. It’s interesting to see what he decides to do.
Of course, for me, it was all about the romance. I just loved it! The slow build between Cordelia and James is everything. You can feel the chemistry brewing until it finally bubbles over (I’m talking to you, bathtub scene! lol). James has loved Cordelia for a long time, and his feelings run deep,, but he never oversteps or pressures her. They have a wonderful connection, and their friends-to-lovers romance is fantastic.
The 1860s London setting gives the story a gritty, atmospheric vibe, and the New Year’s Eve magic adds a lovely, hopeful tone. It’s a quick read, but it packs in so much emotion, heart, and just the right amount of spice. Thanks to Amber Night for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Amber writes interracial romance with excursions into short fiction. Her stories wrap you up in atmosphere and rich emotion. She’s also partial to a hefty dose of sensuality and steam.
A poet at heart, she explores the depths of what it means to be human. She looks beneath the surface differences which divide us to find the common ground which unites us in our struggles to be seen.
She lives in London with her husband and her daughter. And if she isn’t writing, you’ll probably find her dancing.
