This is my first ever paranormal/monster romance and I absolutely loved it! I already knew I enjoyed Lana Ferguson's writing as I've read a couple of her other books, and Under Loch and Key was no exception. It was such a cosy, perfect read for fall and I couldn't put it down!

Under Loch and Key follows Keyanna (Key), who returns to Scotland after her fathers passing to spread his ashes in a place she heard many stories about. She's confronted with her estranged grandparents and a grumpy man named Lachlan. This story has so much discovery and growth between not only their relationship but hers with her family.

I had such a fun time reading this book, with my only critique being that I wish I had a bit more time to get invested in the characters. Things moved pretty quickly at times, and while I did find myself interested in the characters and their goals, I didn't feel a deeper connection that I hope for in a book.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3 Stars

I have adored every Lana Ferguson I’ve ever read (The Game Changer is one of my favorite books this past year). I was so excited for Under Loch and Key as I love paranormal/monster romances and anything related to Scotland. I liked this book, but it just didn’t hit the same as Lana’s other novels. The writing seemed a little less tight and a bit repetitive. Despite that, Lachlan and Key have great chemistry and banter and the story is fun.

If you are looking for a cozy paranormal romance (and with the absolutely stunning backdrop of Scotland) be sure to pick up this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

2.5 stars

Under Loch and Key has an interesting premise, and potential to be a story I could have enjoyed.. but ultimately it fell flat for me for a number of reasons.

The characters:
- Key and Lachlan felt very surface level for me. I never really got invested in either of them or felt any sort of connection to them or their stories, despite having experienced a loss similar to Key's.

The romance:
- Sadly, I just didn't sense any chemistry.. yes, the spice was good, but there didn't seem to be any tension or real feeling between them other than in those scenes. Both their internal monologues were constantly just commenting on the others appearance, and it was repetitive... Even the banter left me a bit underwhelmed. It also felt like they went from 0 - 100 way too quickly for my taste. It was hard to root for a couple I didn't find all that believable.

The plot/pacing of the story:
- The pacing felt off to me.. we lingered in places that weren't necessary and then would zoom through things I felt needed more development.

- The plot of the story itself was intriguing, but I lost interest due to some of the pacing. It was a bit too predictable for me. I found myself wanting to skim near the end.

Overall, I think a lot of my issues are based on personal preference, and I wouldn't discourage anyone from picking this up if the premise sounds like something they'd enjoy. I can see people loving it, but sadly, I didn't.

Ultimately, I think the authors writing style just doesn't mesh with my reading tastes. I had a similar experience, with almost the exact same issues, with The Fake Mate, so I think this might be my last book by the author.. at least for a little while. I'm sad about it!

Thank you to @berkleyromance @lanafergusonwrites for the #Gifted early e-copy of this fun book!

ᴇᴍᴏᴊɪ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏰🐑🚙🌧️👩‍🦰🥵🍵💞

ᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅ: ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ

Read if you like:
𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 • 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 • 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙢 • 𝘾𝙧𝙮𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙙𝙨 • 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 🌶️ • 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 • 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 • 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 • 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙭 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙮𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙨 • 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 • 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 • 𝙃𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 • 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 •

˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚
💭:
This was such a fun read for me, I devoured it pretty quickly.

I’m a fan of Lana Ferguson’s work, so when I saw this title was available, I just had to request it!

If you enjoyed her other two books, you’ll love this one too!

If you haven’t read anything by this author, I still suspect you’ll enjoy it.

Keyanna “Key” MacKay travels to Scotland on a whim after her father’s passing. He spoke very little of his past or of his family’s Scottish heritage, so it has long been a source of mystery to her.

When he did speak of it, however, the only thing he’d mention was the “monster” that once saved his life - a monster that is believed by most to be but a myth.

Under Loch and Key checked ✔️ all the boxes I look for in rom coms.

⤷ There was a unique plot with just the right amount of spice 🥵.

⤷ Some character development so I felt a connection to the characters.

⤷ Witty and fun banter with swoon-worthy moments.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for the perfect comfort read with a little depth.

Read this book in one sitting! It was a super fun atmospheric read, perfect for fall. The main character Key is so lovable and fun to follow and Lachlan has secrets that come to light in interesting ways. 👀 Overall, I enjoyed this steamy, silly, and entertaining book a ton! Thank you netgalley for letting me read it!

What a fun read! Lana always delivers with a quick and fun read. I enjoyed the curse and never thought I would be this invested in a Nessie story. Please read this so we can talk about it.

I definitely think people will like this because the plot was good and there was good emotions and chemistry between the main characters. The fmc goes to Scotland her in honor of her dad and to find out more of his childhood and where he grew up. She meets her extended family and a grumpy scotsman Lachlan who foes not like her. As she gets to know him and more of her father’s past she discovers secrets, powers and monsters. There wasn’t much spice in this one but it’s here and the main characters have some cute moments. Overall an okay and cute read, if you like monster romance give it a try. Thanks to Berkley for the arc.

Great book to cuddle up on a fall day and read! This book sucked me in from the very begging and was such a quick read! Great read for the fall/halloween season!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5

The way that Lana can transport readers is such a gift!

If you’re itching to visit Scotland but that plane ticket is just too much, just pick up Under Loch and Key and you’ll undoubtedly be TARDIS’d away to this charming little lochside village. It was such a joy to have the chance to read an early ARC of this romance and I just ate it up! But honestly, if Lana writes it, I’m gonna read it!

Like so many, I’ve considered the existence of all the usual suspects, Sasquatch, Yeti, Loch Ness Monster… but did you ever stop to think that Nessie could indeed be… a MAN? The legends and lore ingrained in this story were so much fun and added a level of mystery to this romance.

This was a true, albeit one-sided, enemies to lovers and I couldn’t get enough! Ancient family revenge plots and all that. But when things take a turn, we’ve got an only-one-barn moment and a monster 🍆 that I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I wanted MORE of… 🥵 I think you will too! 😉

Thank you @berkleyromance for the advanced copy!

I think my main issue with this one was that there was too much unnecessary detail for me. Like I just wanted to get to the plot, but it just kept... not being plot.... Anyway, not for me.

This book was a such a fun time! Was it a bit ridiculous? Yes. Did that make it so much better? Absolutely! When I heard about this book being a romance with the Loch Ness monster, I instantly added it to my tbr based on sheer curiosity. I didn’t even really read the blurb, because I was sold! Anywho, this book was such a fun rom com with a grumpy love interest, and so much lore (quite literally). I really enjoyed the banter between the characters and the humour had me cracking up a few times! This book also did such a good job of bringing Scotland to the page. I love when romance books have unique settings and this one truly immersed me from the get-go. Overall I had such a fun time reading this and I think that both new, and seasoned, paranormal readers will enjoy it (especially if you’re looking to dip your toe into some monster smut🤭). I will say that even with the synopsis you kinda go blind into this book, especially the paranormal aspects. Even now it’s so hard to write this review without giving anything away! I will give you this though, don’t let the fluffiness of this book fool you, the monster smut IS coming and it’s coming in HOT (cough, cough…chapter 24).

A different take on monster romance with a side of mystery?! Let me tell you, Lana Ferguson knows how to keep a reader on their toes! I love that she tries something a little different with each book, and I’ve not read one I didn’t like, including this one.

I don’t know what I was expecting with this book, even though I knew the premise. I gasped (in the best way) when I got to the part that qualifies this book as a monster romance. I’ve never read one before, and now I want to!? 🥵

But more than that, I really enjoyed the family aspect of the story. There’s a complicated family history going on, and I think Lana navigated through that really nicely. Lots of heartfelt moments, for sure.

I had a lot of fun reading Keyanna and Lachlan’s story. Expect some enemies turned reluctant allies to lovers, good chemistry, fun banter, found family, and a little bit of mystery!

Thank you for the ARC, Berkley!

Ummmm who knew the LOCH NESS MONSTER could be HOT 🥵🥵

Now we already know I’m a monster romance fan and this one is the perfect example of one that allows you to dip your toes into the genre (no pun intended - but I would dip my toes into WHATEVER water Lachlan is swimming around in at night).

I loved Key, her determination to get to know her family and her growing powers of her own. I also loved how she was immediately ready to help this grumpy man fix the curse upon him. Lachlan was just as perfect with his cranky hermit energy and his sarcastic one-liners.

The curse itself was so interesting and I couldn’t wait for the mystery to be revealed. The magic and the history had be captivated along with the beautiful landscape and hilarious side characters.

Personally I thought their chemistry and tension were perfection. The spice was SPICIN 🔥🔥 we got at least 4 smut scenes AND some monster action in a few. Good god the things I would do for a man who can alter the size and shape of things 🍆 👅

The ending had me BAWLING my eyes out at 3am. Lana is quickly becoming a new autobuy author for me. I do have one small issue and it’s a spoiler so I will include that below. But I HIGHLY recommend you pick this one up monster smut reader or not.

5 STARS
3/5 spice

Big thanks to Lana Ferguson, Berkley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!!









⚠️SPOILERS BELOW⚠️














- okay so when she ended the curse does that mean he can NEVER shift again??! Because how’s she’s gonna get that forked tongue and ridged 🍆 and the CLAWS again?? Because there’s no way she DOESNT want to keep f*cking like that?!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy I was given in exchange for writing a fair review.

When Keyanna "Key" McKay goes to Scotland to spread her father's ashes and reconnect with her estranged grandparents, she is confronted by a grumpy, and incredibly sexy, Scotsman who runs her away from the loch. When that same Scot turns out to be Lachlan Greer, the man who helps out on her grandparents farm, sharp words and sparks fly. Lachlan has secrets, though, tied to an ancient curse and the McKay family. As the mystery surrounding their families deepens, so do their feelings for each other.

I enjoyed "Under Loch and Key," but did have some issues with the pacing. I feel like the will they/won't they dynamic didn't last quite long enough and it left the middle of the book sort of drifting from sex scene to sex scene without a ton of things pushing the plot forward. I really loved the magical realism aspects that were thrown in alongside the BIG magic of Lachlan's curse. I also really love that the Loch Ness monster finally got some monster loving book love!! Endearing side characters were also a bit plus of this read, and I wouldn't mind seeing the twins get their own stories!!! A bit of a warning for any readers who may be sensitive or turned off by the use of the "c-word" to describe lady parts--this is Lachlan's favorite dirty talk word!

I would recommend "Under Loch and Key" to anyone who appreciates a good monster romance and the lush scenery of Scottish lochs and castles.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with the premise of a magical person and the Lochness monster but I was pleasantly surprised. This was actually my first book by this author even though I've seen her name in a lot of different places!

Premise: Keyanna “Key” MacKay was raised by a single dad that moved away from Scotland that never talked about the past except for one story about a monster that saved him. His last request even through dementia was to be taken home after death so she goes back with his ashes to seek family she didn't know for some answers about his life. That's where she meets Lachlan Greer, a gorgeous, angry Scotsman who thinks she is a dumb, but beautiful, American with the wrong last name. He has his own secrets to keep while he looks for answers to break a family curse. When their secrets (and bodies - wink wink) collide, it becomes clear that they may need each other to find what they're looking for.

It was cute and I enjoyed it as a fluffy in between read, but I can't say it was a super memorable paranormal romance I'd keep coming back to. I was kind of annoyed that she was so mad at him when he actually tried to tell her a big secret before she wanted to do other things instead. I also didn't feel like the other characters were as well developed to make me really fall in love with each one of them like I have in other of my 5 star reads. I have a quick trigger on my feels/tears but this one didn't bring any out of me, perhaps because it was fairly predictable. If you need a fast, fluffy, romance, it's still a fun one!

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.