The Fisherman's Gift
Published on 19. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-1-5299-4308-5 (ISBN)
Description
The sea tore them apart. Could it bring them back together? The unforgettable story of a tragic love affair, a lost boy and a tiny seafaring village finding new hope as its secrets come to light.
'A beautifully written story of loss and love' Florence Knapp
Dorothy first came to Skerry when she was a hopeful young teacher, but she has never felt at home. Misunderstandings with the other women in the village have left her isolated from their close-knit circle. And then there is Joseph, the soft-spoken fisherman who stirred up her heart all those years ago but does everything he can to avoid her now.
But when Joseph finds a little boy washed up on Skerry's windswept beach, barely alive, his arrival unearths the villagers' buried secrets. As the snow cuts Skerry off from the rest of the world, Dorothy agrees to look after the child - and finds herself thrown together again with Joseph, after years of keeping their distance...
READERS LOVE THE FISHERMAN'S GIFT:
'Took my breath away' *****
'This book emotionally destroyed me in the best way... My heart aches for these characters' *****
'An absolute treasure. I loved it from start to finish' *****
'Haunting and evocative. The characters have stayed with me well beyond the pages.' *****
'A completely immersive, first-class story. Brilliantly observed, atmospheric and haunting all in one novel!' *****'
'A beautifully written story of loss and love' Florence Knapp
Dorothy first came to Skerry when she was a hopeful young teacher, but she has never felt at home. Misunderstandings with the other women in the village have left her isolated from their close-knit circle. And then there is Joseph, the soft-spoken fisherman who stirred up her heart all those years ago but does everything he can to avoid her now.
But when Joseph finds a little boy washed up on Skerry's windswept beach, barely alive, his arrival unearths the villagers' buried secrets. As the snow cuts Skerry off from the rest of the world, Dorothy agrees to look after the child - and finds herself thrown together again with Joseph, after years of keeping their distance...
READERS LOVE THE FISHERMAN'S GIFT:
'Took my breath away' *****
'This book emotionally destroyed me in the best way... My heart aches for these characters' *****
'An absolute treasure. I loved it from start to finish' *****
'Haunting and evocative. The characters have stayed with me well beyond the pages.' *****
'A completely immersive, first-class story. Brilliantly observed, atmospheric and haunting all in one novel!' *****'
Reviews / Votes
A beautiful story of grief, hope and love; of dark snowy nights, the mysteries of the sea and, above all, redemption -- Lucy Diamond, Sunday Times bestselling author of SOMETHING TO TELL YOU Hauntingly beautiful and completely absorbing, this tragic tale of grief, love and longing kept me reading well into the night. A stunning debut that will stay with me for a long time to come. -- Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of THE MAN WHO DIDN'T CALL Spectacular... a gift to readers everywhere...a treasure... I imagine that this novel will be shared and read in the years to come by readers who long for a great story well told. I didn't want it to end. -- Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of THE GOOD LEFT UNDONE Rich in atmosphere and brimming with mystery... a poignant, spellbinding tale of loss and resilience...reminding us that the human heart, like the sea, holds depths we can never fully fathom -- Christina Baker Kline, New York Times No. 1 bestselling author A tender, deeply felt story of a mother's yearning. The small Victorian Scottish village setting is beautifully evoked. This is a most enjoyable debut. -- Rachel Hore, Sunday Times Bestselling Author of THE HIDDEN YEARS A breathtaking, an exquisitely written, pitch-perfect look at love and shame, what is lost and what is found. Like the sea she describes with haunting eloquence, Julia Kelly's story surges then ebbs, sweeping the reader along with its powerful currents -- Jeanette Walls, New York Times Bestselling author of THE CASTLE As searing as a winter wind. With perfect pacing and vivid prose, Kelly shows us not just what was but what could have been, and therein lies this book's real gift. -- Rachel Beanland, author of FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER and THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE Characters so authentic they live and breathe well beyond the page....Julia Kelly is a writer of extraordinary talent and I adored this book. -- Fiona Scarlett author of BOYS DON'T CRY A beautifully-written, heartbreaking novel full of wonderful characters - a real gem of a book -- Emily Koch, author of WHAT JULY KNEW Superbly crafted and tender, it's a brilliant evocation of time, landscape and characters - with twists to keep you gripped to the last page * Woman & Home *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 132 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
262 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5299-4308-5 (9781529943085)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2025
Vintage Digital
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Julia is a mother, writer and teacher. She has been longlisted for The Mslexia Novel Prize, The Exeter Novel Prize, Penguin WriteNow and the Bath Novel Award. In 2021 she won the Blue Pencil First Novel Award. Having grown up in a house without television, Julia read anything she could lay her hands on from an early age and as an English teacher, has tried to pass on her love of stories to the next generation of readers and writers. Since becoming a wheelchair user, Julia appreciates even more the journeys the written word can take us on. She lives in Herefordshire with her partner and dog and between them, they have raised five wonderful children. THE FISHERMAN'S GIFT is her debut novel.