Autumn steals through the highlands towards the village of Kilmara. A haze of drizzle obscures the topmost branches of the pine forest and the heather that flares over the hills surrounding Loch Moine...
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It has recently come to my attention that I must make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from the publicist. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.
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The Blurb
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.
My Review
Every now and then, I read something outside of my usual reading fare. It is so easy to read within the genres that we know we like. This one isn't my usual cup of tea, but I am so pleased that I read it as it was a fabulous read and I gave it five shiny stars. What's more, I got to read it ahead of publication, which, even after all these years of blogging, still gives me a thrill. The book is being released on the 16th April so there's not long to wait to get your hands on a copy. It is a dark reimagining of The Little Mermaid set in Scotland. However, get the Disney image out of your head immediately, as this is something very much different, darker and better in my opinion.
Iris is the main character in the book. By night she is human, forever in her twenties, but by day she is a monster who is bound to the loch. Iris traded her fully human form to be forever young with the man she loved.
The author has crafted her story beautifully. It was a joy to read as the writing was perfect. It has a dark, gothic feel to it which is steeped in Gaelic folklore with its tales of kelpies and seelies hidden in the lochs and forests respectively.
There is a mystery element within the story as bodies are being found with their hearts ripped out. Everyone suspects Iris of these murders and even she doesn't know if she is responsible. When the Laird hires Henry, a hunter, to find and destroy the monster, it would seem that her days are numbered. However, whilst he is intent on his task, even he questions whether she is indeed responsible for the deaths or if there is a murderer within the village.
Furthermore, both Iris and Henry are attracted to one another, which adds a romantic element to the story. However, Duncan, who was her childhood friend, has cared for her and helped her hide her secret since their youth.
Whilst the majority of the chapters are told from Iris's perspective, some are told from Henry and Duncan's points of view, which added another dimension to the book.
The setting was well described and added to the eerie atmosphere of the book. The descriptions of the mist rolling in from the loch were visceral and gave me the occasional shudder.
I thought this was a fantastic book to read and I highly recommend it. Even if you are like me and monsters and folklore aren't your cup of tea, this is well worth reading and I suspect you will enjoy it as much as I have.
I am going to Scotland in a couple of weeks' time and I shall be keeping a careful eye on the lochs and the forests, as who knows what may be lurking within!
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1408724873
Publisher: Sphere
Formats: e-book and hardback
No. of Pages: 400 (hardback)
Preorder Links
About the Author
Rebecca Templeton has had a love of books from a very early age and had lofty childhood aspirations of being a writer, though she ended up joining the legal profession instead. When her husband encouraged her to start writing again, she re-discovered her creative outlet and hasn't looked back since.
When not writing or working, Rebecca can usually be found crocheting giant blankets, baking or watching Gilmore Girls. She is also owned by a couple of very energetic children.
You can also find Rebecca at:
(ARC and media courtesy of the publicist)
(all opinions are my own)
(Bookshop.org affiliated)
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