What a fun monster romance!

After the death of her father, a woman goes to Scotland in search of extended family but finds more than she bargains and that not all monsters are her enemy.

What I like to lovingly call a mashup between Shrek and Shark Heart, I really enjoyed this read.
For what it is, it is very well done. Sure, you'll need to suspend your belief here and there. However, the premise of a cursed man and a woman trying to save him and a fresh new take on an old legend immediately drew me in and the way in which the author writes is so approachable and easy to fall into.

It's relatively fast paced. The characters have fleshed out backstories and there are additional side plots that are intriguing but don't detract from the main quest/plot but add to it. The Scottish setting and language is fully embraced. The dual POVs made me love both Key and Lachlan and get to truly know them and root for them. And the spice is SPICEY!

This book is a fun time, so turn off your brain and enjoy!

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

READ FOR
- Family Curses
- Monster Romance
- Open Door Scenes
- Scottish Setting

First off, I’d like to thank Natgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I love that Lana Ferguson does something different with every release, it keeps it fresh and fun. However, I’m so sad that I was slightly disappointed with this one. It just didn’t hit the same for me; it wasn’t as engaging as I think it could have been and I think the fact that the MMC was just rude and condescending put me off because I couldn’t see the chemistry between him and the FMC. The pacing also fell flat to me, the romance didn’t develop for a while because we were focused on the plot This is all in the beginning half of the book though because as the book progressed I became more interested since one thing Ferguson will always deliver on is the sex (monster romances will always be hot). The setting of the Scottish highlands was also very cozy and perfect fall/winter vibes, so if this premise seems interesting to you, I’d say pick this book up on release day! (December 3rd). Their relationship grew on me and they had really some cute moments and the epilogue was adorable (I'm a sucker for girl dads). And I'm so so so excited for Ferguson's next book... that preview has me on the edge of my seat, I need that book now!

The narrative, though not entirely within the realms of possibility, was profoundly moving. It beautifully encapsulated the enchantment of two souls discovering one another under the most extraordinary conditions and, defying every obstacle, embracing love. The portrayal of sorrow in its myriad manifestations, and the manner in which the protagonists navigate through it together, rendered their evolution from companionship to love all the more sincere and convincing, even amidst the fantastical backdrop of the Loch Ness Monster.

The bickering between these two had me in tears 😂 He loves to rile her up and man is he good at it!

I love that this all started with Keyanna bringing her recently passed father home to a place (and family) she knows next to nothing about. All she has are his stories, which could be just that.. But she doesn’t give up. The adventure this brings her is so beautiful to witness.

Lachlan seems so standoffish in the beginning but once you learn more about him he is the sweetest man ever. Everyone has baggage and he is no exception. I love that he opens up and allows someone to help him.

monster/shifter romance x paranormal x small (Scottish) town x opposites attract x found family

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review with my honest opinion.*

110/10 this book is amazing. Lana Ferguson does it again!!!! Nessie is a hot Scot in this insanely brilliant take on a paranormal romance. Ugh the emenies to reluctant allies to lovers and he is ON HIS KNEES for her wow. This man feasts.

I will, forever and always, immediately pick up any Lana Ferguson book I see. Are the premises sometimes ridiculous? You tell me: this one is about a woman moving to a foreign land in search of the family her late father left behind. While in Scotland, she meets a cranky farmhand... who may or may not be the Loch Ness Monster?

While I knew I would have fun with the book, I wasn't sure I was going to love the story; however, leave it to Lana Ferguson to make even the greatest skeptic fall in love with a mythical sea creature.

The love story (while not technically *plausible*) was deep and touching. It captures the magic of two people finding each other in the most incredible circumstances and, against all odds, falling in love. The exploration of grief in its many forms and how the two characters work through it with each other made their journey into friendship and love that much more heartfelt and believable, despite the whole Loch Ness Monster situation...

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lana!! Thank you, NetGalley and Lana, for this arc! I enjoyed this— Lana is so good at taking risks in her writing and dabbling in the paranormal. I cannot say this gives me the same joy as Fake Mate did, but it still took me for a ride. The banter and steam between Key and Lachlan was great, and the adventure added an additional spark. As usual, Lana wrote descriptions well and did a great job of making us feel the characters' emotions. I would recommend this to a friend looking for a steamy, paranormal rom-com!

THIS ATE! Lana is absolutely amazing at writing paranormal romances and I’ll read truly any paranormal romance she ever writes

Keyanna goes to Greerloch, Scotland in search of her family after her father passes away. What she finds is Lachlan Greer, grump extraordinaire, and a decidedly lukewarm welcome from the family she finds. Nothing is turning out like she had hoped. The night she decides to leave, she discovers a secret that forces her and Lachlan to work together and uncover a history that neither expect.

This book was such an emotional rollercoaster. Key and Lachlan definitely start off with a very adversarial relationship but as their relationship progresses, Lachlan really melts for her. I enjoyed the banter and the character growth. The side characters were a delight and added so much to the story. I will be thinking about this book, and the lovely characters, for a long time to come.

It pains me to give it 3 stars because I really love Lana and to be honest I’ll still recommend this book to everyone but it fell flat to me. This review is going to be 100% personal opinion so take it lightly but I’m a bit disappointed in this romance and the way the plot was brought. I would’ve loved for the romance to be a bit slower and more filled with tension even though the tension is still here it was not enough for me. The smut though?? Crazy amazing. When I started to think ugh it’s too much Lana decided to go a bit more crazy with it and I’m so down for it!! But still near 50ish% in the book the romance kind of settles down and it makes it hard for me to still be into the story since I’m mainly here for the romance.
The plot was interesting but not enough thrilling for me to be really into it. To be honest I didn’t really care about the outcome and was a bit disappointed by the ending since Lachlan lost the thing that got me hooked on the smut (would’ve been disappointed if I were Key).
I still feel like it’s a really nice smutty scottish romance but my expectations were too high.

I really enjoyed the setting and the mystery aspect with this one. The spice was… interesting (as is to be expected). 😂 I wish I connected more with the characters but overall, a fun time!

What to expect:
🦕 Scottish setting
🦕 Nessie has a 🍆
🦕 one barn
🦕 fun banter
🦕 a centuries long family curse

Huge thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!

Honestly, I am loving Lana Ferguson's willingness to try anything when it comes to romance subgenres. She's written realistic, paranomal, hockey, and now monster romances, and it makes me feel like she's just a huge romance fan turned writer who wants to explore it all. I really liked this - there's a solid enemies-to-lovers thing going on between Keyanna (Key) MacKay and Lachlan Greer. Key shows up in Scotland after her father's death, looking to make connections with the grandparents she's never met and to scatter her father's ashes in the loch where he swore a monster saved his life. She has a rocky start not only with her grandmother but also with Lachlan Greer, who saves her from falling into the water, berates her for her stupidity, and turns out to be living and working on her grandparents' farm. Key and Lachlan are attracted to each other but are both big mad about it until they start to share some secrets with each other, leading to a curse between their families that goes back generations. A really interesting blend of pretty realistic romance writing with a thread of monster romance running through it, along with some other supernatural stuff for good measure. A fun read that has me wondering what Lana Ferguson will try next??

so i didn’t know what i was expecting from this one and it wasn’t bad but wasn’t a fav. the writing was good and the overall plot i liked, but the romance was hard for me to follow

*Under Loch and Key* by Lana Ferguson is a gripping romantic mystery that skillfully weaves together suspense and heartfelt romance. Set against the evocative backdrop of a Scottish loch, the story follows a determined protagonist who uncovers long-buried secrets while navigating a tangled web of family drama and unexpected love. Ferguson's vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters create an immersive reading experience, blending intrigue with emotional depth. This novel is a must-read for fans of romantic thrillers and those who enjoy a compelling blend of mystery and romance.

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Keyanna "Key" MacKay is thrown into a world of secrets and magic after her father's death leads her to Scotland, searching for answers about her family’s past. What she doesn't expect is to be saved by the brooding, handsome Scotsman, Lachlan Greer, who just so happens to be harboring some family secrets of his own. Key’s struggle to navigate her strained family dynamic and uncover the truth about her father’s childhood bedroom story that brought her to the Loch kicks off a whirlwind of adventure, curses, and unexpected romance.

Okay, I enjoyed this, but I did not *love* it in the way that normally leaves me devouring a Lana Ferguson novel. After thinking about it long and hard, I can’t seem to pinpoint exactly why, though in the vaguest way possible I will say that there was simply something missing between Lachlan and Key. I’m not sure if the slow burn needed to simmer just a little bit longer, or if Key’s (petulant) “witty” comments wore me down, but I didn’t really buy the tension between them. Bottom line, I think if Ferguson had been given more time with this, we would have seen the plot execution that we know she is capable of. For such a significant jump from hockey romance to Scottish cryptids, I think she would have benefited from a longer research and development period. All of that said, I really did like this book and I admire the author’s tenacity and commitment to trying new things. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

I was so excited to read a Rom Com set in Scotland.....just maybe not this one. Descriptive sex with the Loch Ness Monster just made me put the book down. There were some interesting parts, like solving a family mystery and old castles with stories to tell, but they were nearly buried for me. Maybe I'm just not one for hot monsters.

I love Lana Ferguson and will buy/recommend whatever she writes. I can't tell you pleased I am to see moster-lover romance in the mainstream. This is going to be a big hit and I will definitely be adding to my collection.

Another banger by Lana! Lana is always the author I got to and recommend when I am needing a fun, fast paced and an absolutely swoon worthy romance. I think this also has such a fun and unique twist to it since it is a monster rom-com (not a lot of those around in trad publishing hehe) so so excited for all of her upcoming books & release as I am a Lana fan til the day I die!

Another fun read from Lana Ferguson. Key and Lachlan clash when they meet but sparks start to fly when she finds out his secret and offers to help him break his curse. A unique take on the Loch Ness myth with some more unusual Scottish mythology thrown in.

I did not realize that this was a monster romance upon requesting it from NetGalley. I am a romance girlie to my very core, but I was expecting a fun Scottish love story with some action, adventure, and mystery. I did get those qualities from this book, don’t get me wrong, but I was profoundly shocked to discover some of the intimate scenes in the story. Great plot, lots of fun, but I will not read monster romances in the future (just not my thing)!