A review by justmevictoria
Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

4.5

Because who said the Loch Ness Monster couldn't be a male… 
 
After the passing of her father, Keyanna 'Key' MacKay is following his final request - taking his ashes home to Scotland, and the Loch where his life was saved by a monster. It's a story she was told as a child and one that she'll always hold dear as the last thing her father remembered. But as she's about to honour his wishes, she's interrupted by an angry Scotsman who called her stupid for being so close to the Loch. And if that interaction wasn't bad enough, she's in for an icy reception when she arrives at her grandparent's farm, grandparents she's never even met. And to top it all off, her angry Scotsman, Lachlan Greer, works for her grandparents. In an attempt to connect with her long-lost family and learn about her father's life in Scotland, she stumbles across a centuries-old connection between the MacKay and Greer families, a connection that Lachlan has been looking into himself. Despite their rocky start, Lachlan and Key team up on their quest for answers to long-held secrets and a generational Nessie curse, with what they uncover set to make or break them. 
 
You know what, I don't think I ever read the synopsis before diving in, but I've been excited for this book from the moment Lana announced it! All I knew was that there was Nessie, spice, Scottish accents, and it was all written by Lana, so what else did I need to know! Lana continues to go from strength-to-strength and I loved every single second of the story she crafted here - don't ask me to choose a favourite of her books because they're all flipping fabulous! 
 
Lachlan and Key were *chefs kiss*. These two had all the chemistry and all the banter, and such an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers arc. They embodied everything to love about the grumpy/sunshine meets enemies-to-lovers tropes, all wrapped up in the fun and spice that Lana become well-known for. And, as usual, the spice SPICED! 
 
Also yes, there are monster scenes which served exactly what I was hoping for! *cough* more of these in the future please Lana *cough* 
 
Lana KNOWS how to write paranormal romance - The Fake Mate was absolutely delicious and Under Loch & Key really just proved that Lana knows how to cook up sweet, swoony and spicy romance with a side-serving of paranormal intrigue and magic. And I hope she's got more of these stories bustling around in her brain, alongside her contemporary romances. It's safe to say that Lana is one of my favourite authors and an auto-read author at that - I can already guarantee that I won't read the synopsis for her next book before I start reading it… 
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the history that Lana created and delved into to form the Greer family's Nessie curse, and how that was interwoven with the MacKay family's history. Everything felt real and authentic in terms of the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and mythical creatures from Scotland's history. And while yes, Nessie is canonically a female, Lana giving Nessie a penis isn't an outrageous notion. Nessie is a story that will continue to fascinate people for generations to come, and Lana's take on the legend made for a super enjoyable read. And even made me interested in actually reading more widely about the Loch Ness Monster - I've watched a bunch of docos but never read anything, so I might have to change that in the new year! 
 
If you're new to the paranormal/monster romance genre, this is a great place to start as it's so easy to forget that there are fantastical elements to this romance. And of course, all my fellow romance girlies need to add this to their TBR - you'll be itching to buy a one-way ticket to Scotland to find your own grumpy Scotsman and uncover the secrets of Loch Ness!