Great story loved it and the development as I listened. The scenes could be a little thick sometimes but overall an enjoyable listen

Much thanks to Hunter White, Greenleaf Audiobooks, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudiobook in exchange for an honest review.

DNF 41%. When the characters began hearing the voice of god and having visions of dead loved ones, I was out. No disrespect to the dead, the grieving, or anyone's beliefs, but that's not the kind of story I want to read. The blurb undersold that aspect or I wouldn't have requested it.

As for the plot so far...meh. Not the worst thing I've read, but I was struggling to get into it. I was hoping for historical lore and mystery, for Nessie and treasure, and what I got was a bunch of legal crap and evil Russians. (Why Russians? What the heck would they have to do with Scottish lore? I guess I'll never know.) Rather more like an international espionage thriller than the quaint treasure hunt I had in mind.

Not sure why this is tagged as historical fiction, it's not. The setting is contemporary.

I was drawn to this story by the title and the description. I love a treasure hunting story, as well as Scotland. This definitely has potential! The overall storyline was fascinating, but I did find myself zoning out at times during the audiobook and would need to rewind. It felt a bit rambly at times. I did not finish, although not because it was bad, I just found myself being drawn to other things continuously while listening...and that doesn't usually happen when I'm listening to an audiobook. I might try it again in the future.

This was such a fantastic historical thriller fiction with a dash of scifi/mystical aspect. Kept me entertained and taught me a lot of information of past historical figures as well as geographical landscape. You can truly imagine you are there and part of the characters journey to discovery. The action parts were explained with great entertaining detail, almost like an action movie. I did receive this as an audiobook by NetGalley for review and it was amazing.! The narrators accents as well as speed and tone through the novel was on point. Over all recommend and would love to see a film from this!

This was such a fast, and enjoyable time. I was heavily invested in these characters. I found myself rooting for them the entire way.

You are following several different POV's in this story at the beginning. One of those being Carter Porter. (Forgive my misspelling of any name, I read this via Audiobook.) Carter Porter (resides in the US) has a tragic past that has lead him to the vice of drinking. This has affected every aspect of his life. The consequence of this led him down a surprising path of adventure, mystery, and the goal of staying alive.

Hassie is a young girl the works a luxury in in Scotland. She lives with here grandfather, and enjoys taking walks along the shores of Loch Ness. One day during these strolls, something mysterious and I would consider almost magical happens, and this leads her down a path to save her family, a furry friend and even...the world.

This was a very solid 4.5 out of 5 book for me. It will tear at your heart strings.

Trigger warning should be paid attention to here. SO please check them before reading.

Sigh... where to begin?

First, this book took me days and days to read because I just didn't care. It wasn't offensive or otherwise distasteful so as to quit, it was just lame.

Second, the dialog was laughable. Sometimes a character would dump a load of history like a TED Talk, which was not conversational at all, just a random soliloquy to advance the plot. There was no finesse in revealing what was clearly a well-researched history. And often it was so melodramatic it felt like I was immersed in a YA book.

Thirdly, the violence from the Russians felt alien. This book should have been a charming treasure hunt and quest to solve the puzzle, with history and mythology mixed in. OR! Or it should've been an international thriller with edgier characters and less mythology. But both did not work for me.

The relationship between Mary and Porter was not believable. I get that more military expertise was needed than a disgraced alcoholic could legitimately provide for the story to continue, but this was unreal. She dropped everything, flew to Scotland, and joined the team, forgave her husband, and risked her life and freedom for this drunk and unreliable man she was divorcing, and two strangers, one being a teenager, based on a crazy bunch of clues and everyone else having this religious experience on the Loch.

Ugh, and the Loch/deity scenes were painful. Was this intended to be a metaphor? Not enough was explained about the elixir and her presence, and the characters lost their darn minds worshiping her. When they all met her, that was the absolute worst dialog in the book. It took me two days to get through that scene alone! I was rolling my eyes and exclaiming, waking away, and trying again later, over and over until I finally got through it.

I won't recommend this book because it couldn't pick a lane (YA fantasy, a romantic adventure treasure hunting, or an anti-Russian battle for artifacts in Scotland) and also, the dialog was awful. It reads like a self-published book in dire need of professionals in publishing to edit, alter, and improve the story.

Lastly, the audiobook narrator was good, gave very enthusiastic performances for all the characters, including a number of accents, and I liked her smooth voice. She might have gone over the top, though. She gave a lot more emphasis to some of the text than I would've interpreted if reading it. That might have contributed to the cheesey drama -- it was over-acted. You do need a lot of animation in adventure stories, and overall I think it was a good job. The musical interludes between chapters were ridiculous, like there were cast and set changes taking place while disjointed music plays for you. Publishers, stop this nonsense. Or will I soon be hearing laugh tracks as well?

The idea behind this book was solid but the delivery needed more work.

Colleen Chi-Girl
Goodreads: 4 **** stars
Bookshelves/tags: 2023, audiobook, contemporary, crime-mysteries, fantasy, historical-fiction, netgalley, read, sci-fi, scotland, thrillers, young-adult.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Hunter White, the author, for the audiobook ARC. The following exciting introduction by the publisher (and my love of Scotland) is what drew me to requesting this audiobook ARC. Please see my honest review below it.

"​For almost three hundred years, people have searched for one of the greatest treasures in history—the lost gold of the Scottish Jacobites. Following his father’s death and a brazen late-night break-in at the United States Naval Academy, Lieutenant Carter Porter, his life and career in tatters, unwittingly joins the quest. In Scotland, Hassie Douglass, a spirited young employee of a luxury inn situated on the picturesque shores of Loch Ness, thinks her prayers have been answered when she stumbles across four old gold coins that may be part of the Jacobite treasure. But she can’t tell anybody how she really found them; they would think she had lost her mind. Who would believe she followed a strange, ethereal voice emanating from the loch? No sooner does Carter receive a strange bequest from his late father and Hassie’s find is publicized than a shadowy, well-armed group of mercenaries attacks each of them. Soon, Carter’s and Hassie’s fates are joined, and their survival depends on solving more than one ancient mystery while facing their worst nightmares."

My review: I like thrillers - maybe love thrillers - and Scotland - so what could be better. I also love audiobooks and enjoyed the narrator, Laura Darrell's Scottish brogue. What I thought would be an espionage thriller or spy novel, turned into half thriller and half sci-fi/fantasy, with a mythical creature (wuhh?). If sci-fi/fantasy are what you love, you should absolutely get this one fast. It isn't my fave genre, but I'm glad I finished it. Note: This also reads more like a "Young-Adult" novel and perhaps should be categorized as such. Also, I think the publishing blurb should be edited to include the fantasy genre or it's misleading. The secondary characters like Porter's wife and a lad named Royce, who likes Hassie, added a lot to the story and they became part of the team fighting the Russians. Yes, bad-buy Russians.

Pros: Scottish setting, history and legend; strongly researched; strong female characters (Hassie and Porter's soon-to-be-ex-wife); US Naval base crime (would have enjoyed more focus on this); a down-on-his-luck lead character Carter Porter; a bonnie Scottish lass employed at a posh hotel; a secret-hidden journal; jet skis; more....

Cons: In parts, the Russians felt farcical. More of a Young-Adult, fantasy novel.

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Ok this was a weird ride. Almost like it was written by two different people. There was the adventuresome washed-out-soldier-vs-mercs storyline, which was fairly enjoyable, and the “um is that the Loch Ness Monster talking about God to them?” storyline, which I could have done without. The author went way too far into trying to weave religious symbolism and teachings into the book, which really put me off. Folklore and mythology? Sure, I’m all in. But it came across as proselytizing, not storytelling, and I wasn’t a fan.

Honestly, did not have “Nessie as a Christ allegory” on my 2023 bingo card.

🎧3.5-3.75⭐️

I had the audiobook narrated by Laura Darrell. The accents could have been better, but it was ok.

An action adventure treasure hunt with an Indiana Jones wanna be in Scotland looking for Jacobite treasure it incorporates Scottish mythology and a hint of supernatural too.
The two main characters and POV are Hassie Douglass a Scottish teenager who found 4 old coins believed to be a part of the Jacobite treasure. The other is Carter Porter who is an American following his fathers legacy. However when Hassie’s find is publicised it draws the dodgy Russians to the scene. Another main character is Royce.

What I liked :-
📕The premise of the story piqued my interest, I enjoy a bit of mythology and supernatural
📕It gives a good feel of the history and mythology and feels well researched.
📕our 3 protagonists are likeable

What I wasn’t so keen on:-
📕cliched Russian spoken English
📕the dialogue felt a bit stilted and formal

It has plenty of action keeping me entertained. The story itself felt a bit cliched. For me it had more of a YA feel than adult. Think this one is more for the US market than the UK.

I really enjoyed this novel! The narrator was AMAZING and I will be searching for other titles by her. These characters were dynamic and flawed and lovable even when they were doing things that made you want to grab them by the arm and give them a little shake.

The history was fun and the descriptions of the Loch and Scotland made me want to book a trip there tomorrow. A fun adventure, steeped in battle, historical mysteries, and dangerous twists that led us home. Highly recommend this audiobook!

This historical fiction book was quite entertaining. Is haas all the things you want in a book: love, romance, camaraderie, an air suspense, and all kinds of emotional feelings. Highly recommend

I really enjoyed this murder mystery. It was a great setting and the characters made relatively good choices. It's smart and engaging.

Setting the Scene: "A long-lost treasure, a deadly chase, and a magnificent beast of legends For almost three hundred years, people have searched for one of the greatest treasures in history—the lost gold of the Scottish Jacobites. Following his father’s death and a brazen late-night break-in at the United States Naval Academy, Lieutenant Carter Porter, his life and career in tatters, unwittingly joins the quest. In Scotland, Hassie Douglass, a spirited young employee of a luxury inn situated on the picturesque shores of Loch Ness, thinks her prayers have been answered when she stumbles across four old gold coins that may be part of the Jacobite treasure. But she can’t tell anybody how she really found them; they would think she had lost her mind. Who would believe she followed a strange, ethereal voice emanating from the loch? Struggling to accept what she heard, she can’t deny that the gold in her hand is real. The allure of such a valuable cache draws evil, like the moth to a flame. No sooner does Carter receive a strange bequest from his late father and Hassie’s find is publicized than a shadowy, well-armed group of mercenaries attacks each of them. Soon, Carter’s and Hassie’s fates are joined, and their survival depends on solving more than one ancient mystery while facing their worst nightmares. Blending historical fact and Scottish legend within an action-packed adventure, Treasures of the Lochs is an exciting, powerful story of faith, friendship, and redemption."

What I Thought: I enjoyed this book and stayed up all night finishing it. Mr. Hunter did an excellent job of weaving historical fact and fiction with the stuff of myths to produce an intriguing, often action packed, tale that provides a compelling new twist on the so-called Loch Ness Monster, as well as the legendary Jacobite gold. The narrative seamlessly moves from the brutality of Russian mercenaries to the exhilaration of a sea cave collapse to an almost spiritual tranquility and the searing pain of loss while never losing the momentum of the story. Hassie and Royce are loveable characters, while Porter is the ubiquitous flawed hero type. Each has something to learn from "Nessie" (don't ever call her that), from each other, and from the challenges they face together and individually. Together they make an unusual but surprisingly cohesive team into which Porter's soon to be ex-wife unexpectedly but thankfully inserts herself late in the game. There are some moments when I admit I found my attention waning, but then I was suddenly reeled back into the story. Looking back, I am not sure all questions were answered satisfactorily, such as the reason for the initial break-in at the Naval base. Perhaps it was covered during one of those momentary attention lapses, but the story was such that I really don't care. I liked it and would love to see these characters in subsequent books.

My review is for the audiobook version of the book. I honestly couldn't make it through it, I found the narrator to be really distracting and irritating. I know some others really liked the narration of it but to me it felt like someone up on a grand stage giving an overly dramatic performance.

Treasures of the Lochs is a fascinating fusion of military suspense and fantasy treasure-hunting by Hunter H. White, and narrated by Laura Darrell. An interesting splash from the U.S. to Scottish Lochs, with a dash of military history thrown in for good measure, plus mix in a marriage on the rocks, the bonds between a granddaughter and her loving grandfather, and a very generous scoop of magic, places this novel in a unique category of its own.

Based on the description and categorization in adult fiction, I was anticipating a bit more grit, but aside from a couple of brief bits of gun violence, I'd actually place this more in the young adult category, especially with it's focus on Hassie, whose voice comes through most clearly with the help of Darrell and her clear character choices.

A satisfying, if slightly baffling amalgamation of genres, provided a solid read.

Thanks to Greenleaf Audiobooks, River Grove Books for the advanced audio copy via NetGalley.

This was such a fun book! I was captivated by the story and the mystery of it. The setting was perfect as well.

I really loved this audiobook! This genre-crossing tale of mystery, murder, and myth, narrated with finesse, truly took me on an enthralling journey that left a lasting impression.

First and foremost, the narration of this audiobook deserves special mention. The atmospheric quality of the narration was nothing short of exceptional. It skillfully transported me to the enchanting shores of Loch Ness and the rugged landscapes of Scotland. The narrator's ability to capture the essence of the story through their voice made the entire experience all the more immersive. It felt as though I was right there with the characters, facing the challenges and mysteries of this treacherous quest.

The story itself is a remarkable blend of historical fact and Scottish legend, seamlessly weaving together the past and the present. "Treasures of the Lochs" takes you on a rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue, keeping you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The characters, particularly Lieutenant Carter Porter and Hassie Douglass, are well-crafted and relatable, making it easy to invest emotionally in their journey.

One of the aspects I particularly enjoyed was how the story explores themes of faith, friendship, and redemption. Amidst the deadly chase for the Jacobite treasure, there is a profound message about the power of belief and the strength that can be found in unexpected alliances. It reminds us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, human connection and resilience can prevail.

In conclusion, "Treasures of the Lochs" is an audiobook that left me thoroughly impressed. The combination of a gripping storyline, masterful narration, and the infusion of Scottish legend creates an unforgettable experience for the listener. I loved it, not only for the captivating narrative but also for the way it transported me into a world of ancient mysteries and modern-day challenges. Hunter White has crafted a tale that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking an adventure that transcends time and place.