Her other books had a little better writing but this one felt kind of wacky. I usually like paranormal/monster romance a d while this had some good spicy scenes the plot fell short. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and did not root for their romance.

This was a lot of fun! I think it was a really fresh take on monster romance. There was humor, spice, and magic.

I enjoyed all the Scottish-isms that were throughout. I feel like I’m now fluent 😂 I loved the relationship between Lachlan and Key and how it progressed really naturally. I’m also a big fan of the whole “she’s mine” and “he falls harder” tropes, so I was eating this upppp. And the spice is goood!

Sure, it was a little predictable and I think the drama between Key and Rhona was dissolved too easily, but I don’t think that takes away from the overall story or the characters.

I absolutely adore Lana Ferguson's paranormal romances, and this one is just as great as The Fake Mate. Amazing banter + enemies to lovers romance + a mystery to solve = perfection. Who knew Nessie was just a hot Scotsman with a curse?

Okay, I think I might be an idiot because I wasn't expecting an actual monster romance with spicy monster scenes. I thought it would be like ha ha he turns into the Loch Ness monster, isn't that funny. Actual spicy monster content is not for me, I fear. Onwards and on to something else for me, sorry Lana.

WHEN I TELL YOU THIS IS LANA’S BEST BOOK YET, I MEAN IT (but stay tuned for 2025 😉)!!!! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Lana Ferguson is an author who delivers every Single. Time. Her ability to suck you into her stories is unmatched, and she finds a new way to reinvent the wheel with every tale she creates. Under Loch & Key was a story full of adventure, mystery, rediscovering your roots, and a romance that was so hot I felt like EYE was the one being set on fire.

Lachlan and Keyanna were amazing MCs with chemistry that you could just FEEL from the beginning. The push/pull nature of their relationship (with them being alleged mortal enemies and all) delivered some amazing banter that had me laughing and smiling every time they were in the same room. Their connection was one for the ages, and I loved every minute of it.

Now that being said, I’m a true lover girl through and through, but I found myself invested in more than just the romance of the story. Outside of the relationship between Lachlan and Key, the adventure, the discovery, and the growth of the relationships the characters had in their lives overall really made the book what it was for me! The Scottish setting, the magical elements, and the entire cast of characters made this a very well rounded story that delivers in every aspect. I can’t wait to see what’s next 💚

Sidenote: I’m not a big audiobook person, but I feel like this is one I NEED to listen to. It’s going to be a duet narration and I just KNOW it will be good 😭

So unbelievably excited that Lana Ferguson gave Nessie a penis.

This was fun. The spice in Lana's books is always top notch and if I'm being honest its the reason I keep picking up her books. Lochlan has a dirty mouth and I'm here for it. I'm mad they didn't have makeup 🌶️, this book could have used another scene at the end to really drive it home.

The mystery was pretty predictable and I was annoyed that he didn't tell her everything. It seemed a silly thing to withhold. I also thought the urgency was flimsy at best and I needed a better reason for the "we still have time, it's not too late" panic.

Overall entertaining.

Lana Ferguson can pull off any silly premise and give it the heart it needs to make it work! I was very invested in Lachlan's story and I wanted him to get his happy ending really badly. I also really felt for Key having lost her dad and how much she wanted a connection with him. The mystery part of the plot was my favorite part of the book. I wish there had been a bit more emotional development because the story felt a bit insta-lovely but overall I loved the paranormal aspects of the books so I had a good time. This is a great intro to paranormal romance because it felt pretty much like a contemporary romance but there were some fun moments thrown into the sexy-times to spice things up. I had a fun time with this story and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to try out the genre because it's a great place to start.

Lana Ferguson knows how to craft the perfect romantasy, combining my favorite tropes—enemies to lovers and grumpy meets sunshine—with the Loch Ness monster urban legend and Scottish mythology, creating a brooding hero with a delicate heart hiding behind a literal monster facade.

This story is definitely hot, smutty entertainment, but it’s also heartwarming, dealing with family, ancestral burdens, forgiveness, and embracing the future by correcting past mistakes.

Keyanna "Key" MacKay, having recently lost her father, honors his last wish to have his ashes spread in the lake where he claimed he was once saved by a monster, a story he told her as a bedtime tale. She flies to his hometown in Scotland, where he hadn’t set foot in years, in order to connect with his estranged parents and learn more about his past.

As an orphan, Key also hopes to meet her grandparents and mend the broken ties between them by sharing stories of her late father. But her attempt to spread his ashes turns into a dangerous mission when she slips on the rocks and is rescued by a gorgeous yet grumpy man who calls her an idiot at first sight.

This tall, muscled, bearded, and charismatic—though incredibly rude—man is Lachlan Greer. He helps Key’s grandparents with farm chores, often working shirtless, and lives in the guest cottage next to their house, making it impossible for her to ignore him.

While her grandfather is happy to reconnect, her grandmother still harbors old grudges, making it challenging for Key to break the ice with her. Her cousin Brodie, meanwhile, gives off mixed vibes—friendly, but seemingly holding something back.

Lachlan also harbors a big secret, known only to the bartender twin siblings at the pub, who are his longtime friends. He’s determined to keep Key at arm’s length, giving off hostile vibes for reasons that frustrate her, causing her emotions to swing between attraction and pure hate.

One night, as she prepares to leave town, Key gives the lake one last chance to fulfill her father's final wish. That’s when she witnesses Lachlan’s big secret firsthand. Instead of using it as leverage, she learns why Lachlan is searching for more information about the legend that binds their families and the curse that has ruined his life.

Key also discovers that she’s developing supernatural powers—like opening windows without touching them, stopping rain, and creating fire from her hands. Realizing she can help Lachlan break the family curse, she must also confront the risk of losing her heart to him. As their attraction grows and they spend more time together, they face new challenges on their path to each other.

Overall: This is my favorite romantasy from Lana Ferguson so far, and it deserves five Scottish, creature-filled, magical stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sharing this addictive romantasy’s digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved this book! It's sweet, spicy, heartwarming, and funny. One of my favorite reads this year! I will be recommending to everyone I know!

I thought I was prepared, but I was not prepared for how amazing and fun this was!! This is the perfect book to get started on spicy monster stuff. If you enjoyed The fake mate, you’ll love this! Lana is a phenomenal writer and story teller. She’s an automatic must read for me!

Don't judge a book by it's cover!!

This book was definitely pushing the outer limits of what I would normally consider reading HOWEVER it ended up being an intruiging mix of fantasy/magic with romance and mystery and dare I say I thoroughly enjoyed myself? I guess the best term for all of that smooshed together is really paranormal romance but oh well! If you're a Lana stan, pick this one up. If you're on the fence about it, I have a feeling you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Y’all I’ve said it before but I will say it again: Lana Ferguson can do no wrong. Every book she publishes delivers every freaking time. I swear every time I think Lana can’t get better she releases her next book and proves me wrong. And boy am I glad to be proven wrong.

To say I was hyped for this book feels like an understatement. Let me tell you when I got that approval email from NetGalley. I have never moved so fast to start reading a book. Under Loch and Key does not disappoint. The story immediately sucks you in and doesn’t let the reader go. The story was full of adventure, mystery, romance and going on journey of rediscovering who you are.

Lachlan and Keyanna are our amazing MCs. The chemistry with these two is off the charts. Plus their grumpy vs sunshine relationship banter had me cackling. Their connection was relatable and heartwarming. Like you can’t help but to route for them, and I loved every minute of it.

Besides the romance we also had a mystery element to this story. Which I’ll admit I was nervous about because I’m not a mystery girly. But have no fear Lana Ferguson does fabulous of weaving the Loch Ness Monster mystery into the Scottish folklore and history into the magical elements.

If you can’t tell I highly recommend this book and any book by Lana Ferguson. I can’t wait for my completed physical copy to arrive in December 2024! Thank you again to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review!

Loved every minute of this book! Great cast of characters and local legend/mystery. Keyanna and Lachlan make a perfect enemies to lovers pairing. I love all the folklore and history, the spice is great. A magical ending. Ferguson is definitely an author I'll be looking for. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

this is without a doubt my favorite release of Lanas so far OH MY GOD 😭 i would give it an infinite amount of stars if i was able to

its funny, silly, emotional, adventurous, theres mystery and magic and curse solving, its SO HOT and most importantly SO MUCH FUN.

one of my favorite things about lana is that she can just write literally anything and it’s phenomenal and fun. i desperately and selfishly need her to focus solely on paranormal/fantasy/cryptid romances for a hot minute before going back to contemporary romance bc this is just her fucking specialty for real 😍

i think this is a wonderful book for the girlies that have been on the fence about jumping into monster romances, there is some very delicious monster smut without it being full on monster smut making it a perfect dip your toes in to see if you think this is something you may be interested in book!!! (its *chefs kiss* i promise)

i was kicking and giggling my feet the entire time i read this, the banter between lach and key was just in truth ridiculous but so funny at the same 😂 its very i cant stand you to oh my god im obsessed with you and i just devoured it.

im honestly just at a loss for words at how much fun i had reading this and how much i loved it. im already looking forward to the second i can get my hands one the audio and listen to them be brought to life 🤭

One thing about Lana Ferguson? Her mythical creature stories? Very cutsey, very demure, very mindful. I discovered Lana this year and CANNOT get enough. It's grumpy x sunshine, it's mystery, it's VERY Irish, and SO SO cozy. She really did her big one here and I'm SOOOOO excited for Overruled?! That excerpt had me FERAL for more!

Love, love e, love this book so much! It is spicy and it is wonderful. I love the story and all the twist and turns it took, and the very hot half lochness monster human sexy times. If that's not for you don't read but it was amazing

I'm going to be completely honest when I say I didn't read the description before requesting this book. I very accurately just saw Lana Ferguson on the author line and hit request. That said, when beginning to read this book I figured it would be a cute Scottish romance centered around the folklore of the Loch Ness Monster. I've never been more wrong, or right? before in my life.

The thing I enjoy the most about Ferguson is her absolute ability to write just about anything. Her range of novels astounds me and I shouldn't have been so shocked when reading through this one at the way it ended up. I thoroughly enjoyed following Lachlan and Keyanna's story. We got a good solid view of Scottish life (at least from my point of view as someone who's only viewed Scotland from the television). I felt her decision to mix in the paranormal (magic) did not hinder from the story in the slightest. I felt that it was a good stepping stone to the plot line and character development but it didn't consume the story entirely.

All in all, I felt that this novel deserves that spot on the shelf next to all the other Ferguson novels. She's definitely an author I will always request to read, just maybe I'll read the descriptions next time?

I'm honestly so disappointed I didn't like this book. I loved Lana Ferguson's other books so I figured I'd give this monster romance a shot.. kinda wish I hadn't.

This was my first monster romance and I think I am now officially converted. Never did I think I’d get the hots for the loch ness monster, but here we are.

This book was so much fun to read. The entire premise was goofy and wild and overall a joy. Key was so fun. She refused to be anything but herself and was not afraid to take what she wanted and speak her mind. I will say, her kinks are wild, no shame though.

Lachlan was so obviously gone the moment he saw Key. He was a classic case of fine line between love and hate. The more he tried to convince himself he disliked Key, the more obvious it was that was was totally obsessed. He fell first and harder.

The twist was a bit predictable, but I was okay with it. If the book did not play out the way it did then I would feel like there would be too many unanswered questions and holes. It ended perfectly.

This was a great paranormal romance. Fun and fast paced plot, fantastic spice and likable characters with top tier banter. Plus, one of my favorite tropes, jealousy, was in it so extra points for that.

Thank you to Berkeley and Lana Ferguson for an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an entertaining and heartfelt story about two people with their fair share of secrets. It was a spicy and fun book to read.