There is no happily-ever-after . . .
Kilmara, Scotland. 1725. For fifty years, Iris has accepted the curse that blighted her life. By night, she is a heartbroken woman, destined to walk the misty shores of Kilmara without growing older. By day, she is Moireach, a terrifying monster imprisoned in the murky depths of Loch Moine.
When bodies begin appearing on the shore, the villagers are convinced Moireach is responsible. So a hunter - the rugged, ruthless Henry Carver - is summoned to slay the monster of the loch.
Iris must break her curse before she is killed for crimes she cannot believe she has committed. But as Kilmara's hunt for the monster becomes ever more fevered, she and Henry are drawn together in a dangerous game of impossible attraction.
And when a figure from Iris's past suddenly reappears, she must choose what - or who - she is willing to sacrifice to win her freedom.
. . . when you are the monster.
A glitteringly dark reimagining of The Little Mermaid set in eighteenth-century Scotland, this enchanting and gothic historical fantasy is perfect for fans of Rosie Andrews's The Leviathan, Georgia Leighton's Spellbound and anyone who loved Outlander.
What did I think?
Oh my goodness, I adored this beautiful book; it is as stunning inside as out. Lochbound is Rebecca Templeton's debut novel and it is exceptional. It is a retelling of The Little Mermaid but it also reminded me of Beauty and the Beast.
Iris has been cursed to spend her days as Moireach the monster in the loch but by night she becomes Iris again. The curse can only be broken by true love's kiss but the boy Iris loves disappeared when she became a monster and she is still searching for him. With mutilated bodies turning up by the loch, time is running out for Iris as the laird has tasked a hunter to find the monster before any more villagers are killed.
The enchanting story is told from various points of view: Iris, her old friend Duncan, Henry the hunter and Moireach. It is deliciously dark and, with witches, curses and monsters, it is one of the best adult fairy tales I have ever read. The writing is so beautiful and spellbinding that I had to double check that Lochbound is Rebecca Templeton's debut - it really is! Put this exciting new author on your watchlist, readers!
Haunting, mesmerising and atmospheric, Lochbound is a breathtaking debut novel that captivated, entertained and delighted me from the first page to the last. I couldn't put it down and I will definitely be reading it again. I would give it more than five stars if I could; it's absolutely exquisite and I can't recommend it highly enough.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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