I was excited about the premise but this book did not click for me and i had a hard time with the story itself 🤣
It was ok listening to it but overall I’m not sure I really enjoyed it

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I really enjoyed this one. It was very atmospheric and enjoyable with the Scottish setting and a bit of magical realism. I am a big outlander fan so anything that reminds me of that is an automatic win in my book. I enjoyed this work overall- I wish I had known a bit more about the animal violence section. That is something I typically try to avoid when I read/listen to audiobooks.I think this audiobook couldve benefited from being read by a cast. The different accents were not well done. I felt like this really took away from enjoying this book more.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Treasures of the Lochs by Hunter H. White is an action-packed thriller that blends historical fact with Scottish legend. The story follows two unlikely allies, Carter Porter and Hassie Douglass, as they race against time to find a lost Jacobite treasure before it falls into the wrong hands.

Carter is a struggling American artist who receives a mysterious bequest from his late father: a cryptic note and a key to a hidden safe deposit box. Inside the box, Carter finds a journal that reveals a long-forgotten family secret: his ancestors were involved in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.

Hassie is a Scottish historian who has been researching the Jacobite treasure for years. When she hears about Carter's discovery, she contacts him and offers to help him decipher the journal and find the treasure.

Carter and Hassie soon realize that they are not alone in their quest. A group of ruthless mercenaries is also searching for the treasure, and they will stop at nothing to get it.

As Carter and Hassie follow the clues from the journal, they travel across Scotland, encountering ancient ruins, hidden caves, and mythical creatures along the way. They also face their own personal challenges, including grief, loss, and betrayal.

Treasures of the Lochs is a fast-paced and exciting read. White does a masterful job of weaving historical fact with fiction to create a story that is both believable and thrilling. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the plot is full of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Overall, I highly recommend Treasures of the Lochs to fans of historical fiction, thrillers, and adventure stories. It is a well-written and enjoyable book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
i received an ARC for free and honest feedback

I received an audio file for review though all thoughts are my own.

This was an interesting premise that was a mix of mystery, finding lost treasure, a dash of myth and some magical realism.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters and Sir Scrounge is the best dog!

The Magical realism did take me out of the story for a bit but overall I liked the added bonus of a mythical creature that Scotland is known for.

My heart broke for the tragedies that these characters had to endure and yet the persevered.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book.

Trigger warnings: parental as well as child death, violence, kidnapping, murder, cancer, orphan

I was looking for an audiobook to listen to while I crochet and this one sounded right up my alley (duh, it's a mystery set in Scotland). And it was pretty good, even the fantasy element which was kinda goofy but in a good way haha, and you can tell how much research went into this book. I absolutely loved Hassie and her dog 😌
I'm less a fan of the ending. I don't like it when magical creatures sacrifice themselves for the "heroes" :( My biggest pet peeve with this book is how the author portrayed Carter's alcoholism (which is an issue for me in the first place and I probably wouldn't have read this book if it was written somewhere in the synopsis 🤧) — first he can't go half an hour without a drink and the author is insisting a loooot on this point, and suddenly he's drinking less and less and guess what? he's just fine and doesn't suffer from any symptom of withdrawal whatsoever.

The beginning of our story was a bit confusing because it started out like we were going to be in a military drama, with Carter's alcoholism threatening his career and the lives around him, he gets to Scotland rather quickly and the story is nonstop once Carter meets Hassie. I enjoyed how Mr. White developed the characters, they all had a lot of self-growth that needed to occur, Carter, due to the loss of his child and turning to alcohol to remove the pain, and Hassie, learning to be an adult, and get by while taking care of her sick grandfather without having a lot of money to care for him.

There is so much despair in our two characters that they could have dragged one another down but instead, they bring hope and change each other's lives. All while running from the Russian bad guys who want to kill or kidnap them. We spend most of our time around Loch Ness and there are a lot of stories and myths revolving around this particular Loch but I love how White put his spin on these fantastical tales. The narrator, Darrell, did a beautiful job bringing each of our characters to life. Her accents were on point and she was able to bring the emotional impact that the story portrays to life.

Overall, the story is a bit of everything, primarily a treasure hunt, a mild thriller with a little bit of magic, and heartwarming friendships. This is definitely worth your time.

2.5 of 5 stars (audiobook)
I DNF audiobook at 40%. I thought the book would be interesting based on the summary but the narration needs fine tuning. I think there should be at least 2 narrators. There are too many accents in this book and some are not voiced well (i.e. Scottish, Russian, British). They story also did not grab my attention.

I listened to audiobook version of this novel, narrated by Laura Darrell. As promoted from the publisher, it blends "historical fact and Scottish legend within an action-packed adventure."

The story begins with an apparent theft at the Naval Academy archives where 19-year veteran Lieutenant Carter Porter is found drunk on the job. Having lost his 3-year old daughter to SUDC (SIDS, but in toddlers) a few years ago, he is a certified alcoholic. While awaiting his inevitable court marshaling, he receives an anonymous note to fly to Scotland to finish the research that his father started before his untimely death.

In Scotland, Hassie Douglass is a young woman who works at a luxury hotel in Scotland. While walking home one evening along the shores of Loch Ness, she discovers four gold coins. When her grandfather gets admitted to the hospital, she believes the gold coins may be able to provide the funds to save him from cancer. Her plans are thwarted when she goes to coin dealer who confiscates her coins as they may be part of the lost Jacobite treasure.

Meanwhile, Russian hitmen (and their unprincipled employer) are on both Carter and Hassie's heels trying to obtain information and treasurers they may possess. Carter and Hassie join forces, and together they face several unbelievable trials and adventures, similar to those experienced in the National Treasurer movie series. With a little help from mystical powers, good overcomes evil in a very satisfying conclusion.

I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys a little supernatural thrown into their action adventure stories.

Treasures of the Lochs by Hunter White
Stars: 3.5

Will you like this audio book? You might if you like:

Mythical creatures
Indiana Jones-like heroes
Plucky teenage heroines
Scottish accents
Ancient treasures

Thank you to NetGalley for this audio ARC.

The premise of the books, stolen treasure and ancient mysteries in Scotland, was everything I was looking for in an October read. I love a little mysticism during the Halloween times and this book did deliver on that account. It was a little clunky in some places and at times I felt like there might be a little too much going on, is it an adventure story or a look at faith in ourselves and other people? Regardless, it was a good listen and Laura Darrell did an amazing job with the narration.

***3.5 stars***

I wasn't sure when I started this, how the first chapter would lead to what the synopsis described. It was very military secret mission instead of secret Scottish treasure hunt. It all came together and once all of the characters were in Scotland, everything meshed well together. It reminded me a lot of National Treasure, with all of the different clue locations and cypher letters. I did really enjoy the story and how it wrapped up. The inclusion of the Loch Ness Monster was a bit cheesy but still one of my favorite parts. I will say that the book did drag for me and felt really long at times. Another of my take aways was that the Russian accent in the audiobook narration could've been better.

I will also say that a content warning that I'd wished I'd known going in, was animal violence.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was different from the books I'd been reading here lately, and it was a nice change of pace to have a Scottish adventure story filled with magic and hope.

The narrator is not great, she speaks too slow. Increasing the playback speed did not enhance my experience. The Russian accent is awful. I stopped listening after a couple of minutes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

About the story: there are some reviews comparing this story to that of National Treasure. I absolutely agree with that to an extent. Whereas I think the beauty of National Treasure was the heavy emphasis on American history and lore, this book has more of a sprinkling of history and a heavy dose of mysticism and belief. While there absolutely is history included in this book (a mixture of Scottish and American lore) the book is very much about the human spirit and overcoming loss. Christian faith, the concept of things happening for a reason, and believing in things you cannot see is very much woven throughout this story. Sometimes, it seems a little heavy handed, but it works for the story. The main character, Carter Porter, experienced a loss that I would never wish on my worst enemy and his story is ironically one of rejecting and accepting the strength offered by those around him. Overall, it was an interesting story, but I would probably give it 3/5 stars. There are some aspects of the ending that felt a little too unfinished.

Narration: for the most part, I think the narrator did a great job. I looked up to see if she was Scottish because her accent was great (she isn’t). However, her voice and accent for the British person did not quite fit. 4/5 stars for narrator.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Hunter H White, Greenleaf Audiobooks and River Grove Books for an ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

4,5⭐ - This book was narrated by Laura Darrell, the tricky bit was there were too many accents in the book and the Russian accent could've been better in my opinion.

After Carter's father dies, he's in a very bad place and wants to numb the pain by grabbing the bottle and getting drunk, jeopardizing his job in the navy. He receives a call from his father's bank to collect his safety deposit box. What he finds in that box, brings him to Scotland.

Meanwhile in Scotland, a young girl called Hassie works part-time at the inn near the Loch Ness to support her and her ill grandfather, who's her only living relative. One evening, Hassie walks along the shore of the Loch, she's lured by a warmth surrounding her and her own voice in her head guiding her to the water. Hassie can't explain it but decides to trust this feeling.
She finds 4 golden coins and thinks by selling these coins and the money she would gain, would improve her grandfather's health. Which is a bad idea as the golden coins might be part of a long lost treasure and needs to be checked if it's the real deal.

The news of the found coins is leaked to various media outlets, who are waiting in front of the inn where Hassie works - Carter checks into the inn, sees how the paps are harassing Hassie and acts like her bodyguard. This marks the start of their adventure.

This book is a fast-paced adventure filled with a lot of action and historical facts of Scotland as well as the Loch Ness. The plot and characters are well written. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

I received this audiobook version courtesy of the author, Greenleaf Audio and Netgalley. The blurb looked interesting, I love Scotland, etc. This wasn’t successful entertainment. Sort of a Harry Potter middle school video game, with shocking dollops of violence which our lead characters enthusiastically dole out without a self-conscious qualm. The lead characters spend time preaching and experiencing woo-woo miracles in between said bouts of violence. Nope. Not for me.

In the book Treasures of the Lochs, author Hunter H. White take us on a journey to find one of the greatest treasures in history – the lost gold of the Jacobite’s. Hassie Douglass who works at a luxury inn on the shore of the Loch Ness, finds some gold coins on the shore. But she cannot tell anyone the her secret – she hears a voice from the loch. This was an interesting story line. But the story had so many holes and was hard to connect with the characters. It was an interesting story but feels like it needs work. The audio-book narration was very good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hassie is a young girl working hard for an Inn on the shores of Loch Ness. Her grandfather has been rushed to the hospital, something they cannot afford, and is deathly sick. She thinks her stars are about to change when she finds four gold coins on the shores of the loch. But, this draws all the unsavory characters out of the woodwork and now her life is in danger.

Parts of this book are so good and parts are not. I enjoyed the story for the most part. And yes, there is a good bit of imagination and mystical element…I mean it is Loch Ness. So, Nessy does have to make an appearance. I also love the history surrounding the gold and Scotland. That being said, the dialogue between the characters is too dramatic and seems canned.

The narrator, Laura Darrell, did a pretty good job. There were a few places I felt it was overly dramatic, but that could have been the writing style, as I mentioned above.

Need a tale set in Scotland…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I love a good treasure hunt, and this one swept me away. It was filled with the perfect mix of action, character development, mystery, and magic. It kept me on the edge of me seat and guessing how it would all turn out until the very end.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the narrator really brings the story to life (especially for those of us who struggle with reading accents).

Treasures of the Lochs is a tale of three strangers that come together to solve the mystery of a lost treasure hidden in the Loch. Carter is one of the protagonists with several skeletons in his closet that he’s been running from for years. He finds a journal from his deceased father describing a trip he took to Scotland before his death to go treasure hunting. Shortly after that, he receives an anonymous offer with a first-class plane ticket to Scotland. Using this as an excuse to run away from his problem again, he takes the ticket. When he arrives, he is unexplainably drawn to the inn worker, Hassie. She’s had a run-in with the press after finding some gold coins that she tried to sell, and Carter helps her to get out of the inn without having to talk to the press. But in her attempt to escape, chaos ensues when she is kidnapped by some mysterious Russian men. Carter sees she is in trouble and won’t stop until he saves her.

I enjoyed this story. It reminded me of a Scottish version of National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code. I think I may have enjoyed it more if I knew more about Scottish history and who the Jacobites were. The story slowed down at times, but it was necessary to lay ground work for the setting and history in order for the story to move forward.

The narrator was amazing! She was able to transition between multiple accents which helped keep the characters easy to identify. Her reading and pace was easy to follow and kept the story moving, even in some of the slower parts. I enjoyed listening to her.

Content Warning: Animal Violence

Thank you @NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for an honest review!

#NetGalley #TreasuresoftheLochs #audiobook #mystery #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

Thank you NetGalley for an advance audio copy of this book. First, the narrator is really good and she made the story really come alive. Her Russian accent wasn’t the best, FYI. Next, I haven’t really read and of White’s work so this was a new adventure for me. There was a lot of action, think Clive Cussler and your favorite NUMA book. This book is fairly fast paced. There are some God and Bible references in the book, that may turn some people off. Also, the Loch Ness Monster has a Scottish name that I can’t even begin to spell (remember, I listened to the book). The LNM also seems to be a very evolved being who likes to philosophize on many subjects. She also can produce a powerful elixir that can save lives and cure people. There aren’t too many people and the characters are ok. There got to be some mention of God and the Bible and that is sort of where the book got weird. I’m going to give this book three stars. I don’t think this would be good for Book Club. I sort of picture and older man reading this a few minutes every night before he goes to bed. If you have other things on your pile of books, you can read them first, you aren’t missing much.

What I believed to just be a historical and fictional treasure hunt turned into a fantastical adventure. I was originally interested in it because I love history and had heard of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hidden treasure from reading “Outlander”. The varying personalities of the characters wove together really well and added humor to some of the tense situations. I listened to this as an audiobook and while the narrator had a good Scottish accent, sometimes she switched between other accents and it confused me as to which character she was speaking.

The combination of history and folklore made for a great Scottish treasure quest, and I recommend it to any fan of Outlander or history lover.

Thank you to NetGalley and River Grove Books for the opportunity to listen and review this novel with my own honest opinions!