Review by Kelly Jarvis: What the Sea Knows by J. K. Divia

What the Sea Knows, by J. K. Divia, is a beautiful exploration of Selkie legends filtered through a contemporary plot and perspective. When Holly Walsh, a thirty-six year old woman reeling from a breakup with her fiancé, realizes she has spent her early years feeling lost and disconnected from herself, she moves to Ireland hoping for a fresh start. She purchases a home and potential business on one of the smallest Aran Islands off the coast of Galway, but from the moment she lands on Irish soil, she is beset by strange dreams about a sea maid trying to escape captivity.

Holly’s dreams are made more complex by a taciturn but handsome local named Michael who tries to warn her against purchasing property on the island. The lighthouse is said to be cursed by a selkie, and every seven years someone will fall from a cliff or drown in the sea until the ocean is filled with human tears. What follows is a beautiful second-chance romance story which plays out in multiple generations as Holly and Michael work together to unravel the mystery of the island and break the cycle of trauma.

In addition to an engaging plot and loveable characters, Divia fills the narrative with selkie folklore and Irish symbols, including the triskele and a ring made of Connemara Marble which comes only from Galway. The entire story is seeped in salty ocean imagery, making What the Sea Knows a lovely read that will pull at your heartstrings while propelling you forward to unlock the mysteries embedded in the plot. This is a story for all who love the sea, Irish mythology, selkie folklore, and second chance romance. Dive in! You can find it here.

Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/