This was my first Lana Ferguson book, and it won't be my last! Under Loch and Key was the Scottish Highlands grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers monster/paranormal romance I didn't know I wanted. This book was a delightful combination of mythology/folklore, magic & curses, complicated family dynamics, humor, intrigue, and romance. Can't wait to read more from this author. I will be recommending this book to fans of steamy contemporary romance who don't shy away from slightly bonkers plot lines!

Combining enemies to lovers and grumpy Sunshine will always be a fabulous combination in my book, but then you add a little bit of monster romance/ paranormal romance and I am in!

This book was so good!! Loch and Key are both very haunted individuals by their past and are trying to work through it in very different ways, but the more time they spend together the more they see the deeper emotions behind the walls that both of them have built up.

I love the way that this book really details the curse and how truly important it was. It never felt like a side element or something added on just for dramatic effect. But the ending of this book got me. I found myself actually tearing up when I finished. It was just such a beautiful ending to an amazing book.

The juxtaposition of such a beautiful ending with a very smut-filled book was amazing and I love how this book captures so many different emotions. Lana Ferguson is definitely becoming an auto read author for me.

The second Scotland romance was on the table, I WAS HERE FOR IT! Then, after further investigation, he is the Loch Ness monster…AHHHH.

This whole story was so adorable, grumpy and sunshine at its finest! We follow Lach and Key, as they bicker and argue, to a point where they are just flirting (hee hee).

The plot of the story turns into both protagonists finding a way to break the mmc's curse, before it is too late! I really enjoyed the lore behind everything, the history of the event causing the stakes to be higher. I also loved the banter and watching these characters genuinely care for each other!

All in all, I loved my first Lana Ferguson book!! Thank you so much for this arc <3

"Under Loch and Key" is a delightful and whimsical romance that whisks readers away to the enchanting landscapes of Scotland. The story follows an American girl, Keyanna, on her heartfelt journey to uncover the mysteries surrounding her late father. What begins as a quest for family history quickly spirals into a charming adventure filled with Scottish lore, a hint of magic, and, of course, romance.

When Keyanna meets Lachlan, they instantly fall into a perfect grumpy/sunshine dynamic. She thinks she has him all figured out until she discovers that Lachlan and the men in his family are cursed to transform into the Loch Ness Monster at sunset.

Lana Ferguson weaves Scottish culture and cryptid folklore seamlessly into the narrative, enriching the backdrop against which Keyanna and Lachlan's romance unfolds. The vivid descriptions of the Scottish highlands and the local customs immerse the reader in the setting, making it feel alive and inviting.

"Under Loch and Key" is a fun, lighthearted read that balances humor, romance, and a touch of mystery. It's a perfect escape for anyone who enjoys a good grump-sunshine tale, with lovable characters and an unforgettable twist. This book had me longing for a trip to the Scottish lochs. I highly recommend this for fans of contemporary romance and those with a penchant for folklore! I really enjoyed this one!

This book was fantastic. I absolutely loved the Scottish setting and learning fun new words. I enjoyed the characters and of course cried at the end because it was just so sweet. I loved it!

This was a fairly successful mash-up of the mythological and modern. The characters were believable and I did not get annoyed by any of them like often happens in romance books. It was definitely spicier than I thought it would be based on the cover and the beginning of the book, a slow burn that turned into something a lot more than expected. So if you are looking for something cozy and mild, I might pass on this.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, all opinions are my own.

This took the paranormal romance and created a unique concept that I was wanting. The characters had that element that I was looking for in this type of book, it had that Loch Ness Monster element perfectly and was a unique concept. I was invested in the story and was hooked from how the romance was going. Lana Ferguson wrote this perfectly and left me wanting to continue the story after it ended.

Lana Ferguson dare to ask the question, "What if the Loch Ness Monster was actually a hot, cursed, Scottish hunk?" and then delivered an absolute banger. Keyanna "Key" MacKay is in Scotland to fulfill her Dad's wish of spreading his ashes in the loch where he claims he was once saved by a mythical monster and to try to get to know her father's estranged parents. She gets to know Lachlan Greer, the arsehole (lol) farmhand who has some ancestral beef with her family. This was definitely a cheesy and steamy romance novel, but it was also incredibly heartwarming, dealing with family reconnections, ancestral trauma/burdens, and figuring out your new future.

I did love that although Lachlan was a self proclaimed jerk, he was more of a teasing/flirting one rather than an actual terrible/rude person. I really didn't want another grumpy butt book and this really delivered on that aspect. I love that Lana Ferguson can just jump right into paranormal romance and make it amazing, If someone is looking for an opener to get into monster romance, this is an excellent place to start!

I would be remiss not to mention how much I love all the puns/play on word's within the title, Under Loch and Key, it's the Loch Ness Monster, she goes by key, his name could be shortened to Loch, and so many other ones that are within the story AHH I love a clever title.

Rating this 4 stars because I felt like the antagonist character could have been a little more fleshed out at the end. I felt like it was missing something for me, I would have either liked that character to have a little more time on the page so the betrayal could have been something bigger. Other than that? I really really enjoyed this, Lana Ferguson you have done it again!

I loved this so much! From the cover to the writing, the steam and banter.. this just had everything I was looking for!

Under Loch and Key is an enchanting, light monster fantasy romance that sweeps readers into the misty hills of Scotland and the tales surrounding the Loch Ness Monsters. The story follows Keyanna, or “Key,” an American seeking her roots after her father’s passing. When she encounters the brooding Lachlan at the Loch Cave, sparks fly—first with animosity, then with undeniable chemistry. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic unfolds beautifully as they join forces to break the curse plaguing Lachlan’s family for generations.

This book was funny, sweet, and hot as hell, and if you didn't already have a thing for Nessie before reading it, you will definitely walk away with at least fondness for the man, the myth, the creature.

I loved this so much! From the cover to the writing, the steam and banter.. this just had everything I was looking for!

3.5 Stars
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with Under Loch and Key. I am not a big paranormal romance reader, but I thought I would give this book a try because I have enjoyed Ferguson's other books. For the most part, I really liked it. I loved the mystery and the plot. I was invested in finding out what was behind the curse. The romance wasn't as strong as Ferguson's previous ones, but it was still fun. I just wished I connected with it a little more. I might have needed more focus on it and maybe not the monster stuff. My biggest complaint, though, was the pace. It was pretty slow. It took over 20% to get into the story for me with all of the setup and characters. Overall, it was a good read.

I thought I would enjoy this given I really liked the author's first two books, but this one didn't quite deliver for me.

My favorite book Lana has written yet.

So the Loch Ness monster is actually a dude in this very hot enemies to lovers set in Scotland. Key is just trying to find answers about her family after her Dad passed away. So she travels across an ocean and does NOT find open arms. Instead she finds a surly Grandmother who is not interested in knowing her, an over the top Grandfather, a shady cousin and a farm hand who treats her like she is as dumb as a box of rocks.

Except - this farm hand actually has a reason for being wary of the new red head and it's written into his family's history.

WHO KNEW THE LOCH NESS MONSTER COULD BE THIS HOT.

This title would be great for readers that enjoy "romantasy". However, I personally didn't enjoy it. I feel like the characters could have been further developed and it would have been enjoyed by a wider audience. That being said, there is definitely a market for this.

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to turn to the person you live with and say hey, I thought I was just obsessed with the Loch Ness monster as a myth, but it turns out I am like, actually pretty horny for the Loch Ness monster? Like maybe genuinely attracted to this creature?

Well, if you want to, this book is for you. It's funny, sweet, and hot as hell, and if you didn't already have a thing for Nessie before reading it, you will definitely walk away with at least fondness for the man, the myth, the creature. Sure, traditionally Nessie is a girl, but like, what if that story changed in the telling and Nessie was ACTUALLY a guy? I was here for this re-envisioning. And also for the warm do we hate each other or is it something else between Lachlan and Keyanna that quickly turns into oh no, it's NOT hate this fiery, powerful, all consuming emotion. Lana Ferguson comes through (as always) with a book that is a fun read and super sexy. I love it.

Thank you so much to Lana Ferguson, Berkley, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review.

ARC Review: Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson
Pub Date: December 3, 2024
Thank you to @berkleyromance for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved this book so much!! I am a huge fan of paranormal romances but haven't delved too deeply into monster romance yet outside of the typical werewolf shifter romance. But I knew Lana would be the perfect author for me to continue this journey with. This book is hot, funny, and full of lore! I will always love a Scottish setting/Scottish character. I loved quite literally everything about it and can't wait to read what Lana writes next!

Lana Ferguson’s Under Loch and Key was such a treat! Keyanna has never has lost her dad—the only family she has left—so to find connection to him, she goes to Scotland unannounced to meet her estranged grandparents for the first time, but when a slip leads her to a Loch Ness monster sighting, she’s questioning everything, and when her grandparent’s farmhand and her keep butting heads, she isn’t sure how much she can take—but as family secrets unravel, it seems Lachlan and Keyanna might just be the key to each other’s futures. Magic, monsters, Scotland, steam, I mean, this is a fun book. It’s an enemies to lovers, family rival, grump/sunshine, monster romance. The banter and chemistry is outstanding, the unraveling of the family secrets and the Loch Ness monster story is all so well developed, and it’s just a great paced romance. I have been in a slump, and this, this book I was excited to read. I was addicted to the heart of this story, to the love of each other and the family in this. It’s heart warming and has a lot of steam and the magic fit the story. Couldn’t recommend this one more!

Lana Ferguson’s Under Loch and Key is an enchanting, light monster fantasy romance that sweeps readers into the misty hills of Scotland and the tales surrounding the Loch Ness Monsters. The story follows Keyanna, or “Key,” an American seeking her roots after her father’s passing. When she encounters the brooding Lachlan at the Loch Cave, sparks fly—first with animosity, then with undeniable chemistry. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic unfolds beautifully as they join forces to break the curse plaguing Lachlan’s family for generations.

Ferguson deftly weaves together themes of family rivalries, forgiveness, and hidden monsters, all while keeping the romance blooming. The blend of folklore, mystery, and sizzling romance makes Under Loch and Key a captivating read for fantasy romance lovers who love light, monster romances. Key and Lachlan’s relationship is heartwarming and filled with banter, making their journey together a delight to follow.

This was a delightfully funny, sexy read. A few months ago, if you told me I'd be reading a romance book featuring the loch ness monster as the love interest I would have laughed. But Lana Ferguson takes this age old tale of "Nessie" and makes it fresh, interesting, and fun. I loved the setting, as well as the language and Scottish culture included in the book. I also really enjoyed the main characters., Key and Lachlan, and their journey, as well as all of the side characters, like Finlay and Rhona. This was a great story about love, loss, and finding your place in the world with a side of magic and fantasy that kept me guessing and entertained the whole way through.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one from Lana Ferguson - which wasn't necessarily a given based on my feelings about her previous book which just didn't hit all the right notes for me. I don't necessarily love shapeshifter romance so I was tentative going in, but this one was quite enjoyable and a bit of escapism that worked for me. Definitely looking forward to see what Ferguson delivers next because as a reader her stories have been all over the place for me but one thing is consistent - good writing!

THanks for the chance to read this early!