Today I am happy to say I cam post my actual review for The Stealing by S.A Sutila on behalf of Literally P.R. thanks to both Literally P.R and Sharon Sutila for the gifted copy of the book to take part. First up the synopsis.
“The Stealing is a modern gothic incarnation of the classic gothic romance, featuring an
independent young woman trapped in dreary and oppressive surroundings, a gentleman hero,
storms at sea, a supernatural force, and a powerful, but conflicted love story. There are no
vampires or werewolves in sight. But with its 1980s setting, this coming-of-age romance probes
serious issues that resonate with modern readers including the harmful, isolating effects of male
dominance on women, gender-role bias, and the struggle to harness inner strength and find joy
in life.”
She chose to die. Now she chooses to live. And love.
But her spirit has been claimed by a dark presence.
In the final year of high school, Sarah Vise’s life is set to start
and finish on a literal dead-end street on the coast of
Delaware. Abandoned by her mother, Sarah works endless
hours on her domineering father’s fishing boat in the shadow
of a run-down lighthouse. However, with an offer to college
and after an intriguing encounter with her blue-eyed
neighbour Grant, a fire is sparked inside Sarah. She is filled
with a violent desire to break free and carve out her own
future for herself.
Sarah’s hopes are dashed however when her callous father
refuses to let her leave, and in desperation, she surrenders
herself to the crashing waves. Grant frantically saves her
from certain death, but her weakened spirit is taken by a
terrifying-if-alluring presence to the afterlife. Captivated and
too beaten down by life to resist, Sarah at first allows herself
to be overcome by the hunter-sage. But then she realises Max
is demonic in his need to control her and she once again has
to beg for her freedom. Striking a terrible deal, Sarah returns
to her life and follows her heart to a devoted Grant. But the clock is ticking, and Sarah’s fate is as unpredictable as the winds that lash her prison.
The cover of this book made me want to read it before I even read the synopsis. A gothic coming-of-age romance novel aimed at Young Adults, but I am a woman in her fifties, and I enjoyed it.
The story begins in quite a dramatic way, and the timeline moves for us to meet Sarah, a young woman who works on her father fishing vessel. The story is set in Port Mahon on the Delaware coast. We witness her attempting to make her way through life, be it real or supernatural, to come of age.
A novel that is heavy on the atmosphere, and the setting is so clear. The way the author describes the workings of a fishing boat brings it to life. I swear I thought I smelt the sea at one point! I could picture the day-to-day life so easily, and this aided in my ability to really get lost in this book.
The characters, well, Sarah’s father, isn’t at the top of my likeable list anyway. I wasn’t overly sure of who I preferred but Grant, even with his negatives as well as positives, was one I was behind. S.A Sutila has created characters that do stick in the mind. We have good and bad who all have flaws, and they are on display. This, for me, makes a story. Characters that give the story more depth.
This is a gritty, dark, and atmospheric novel that has romance, the supernatural, and drama.S.A Sutila brings all this and great descriptions of the settings, too. Everything combined makes for an immersive read. A young adult romance that is packed with detail and drama.
Author Bio
Inspired by her own upbringing on the haunting, rugged coast of
Delaware, first time novelist Sharon Sutila wrote The Stealing in
the isolating lockdowns of 2020, creating a modern reincarnation
of the classic gothic romance and a heroine fighting serious issues
all too relevant today.
Like the protagonist, Sutila fought against a gender-role bias and
graduated from the University of South Florida in Engineering
Technology she become a licensed private investigator and CEO
of her own firm, Cluso Investigation. Sutila is an industry expert
in global identity fraud, a private pilot, a conference speaker, and a dedicated breaker of barriers for women.
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 