Lochbound : The Little Mermaid meets Scottish folklore in this brand-new, spell-binding fantasy romance

Author: Rebecca Templeton

Fantasy romance

Published on 16 April 2026 by Little, Brown Book Group (Sphere) in the United Kingdom.

Hardback | 400 pages
243 x 164 x 35mm | 614g

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.

?Real readers loved Lochbound?'Lochbound was crafted so well, weaving in folklore [alongside] the moving parts of the fates of each person...I really enjoyed!' NetGalley Reviewer ?????'As soon as I started reading, I knew Lochbound was going to be a five-star read. And when I cried at the 11% mark, that cemented it. It was a great mashup of its inspirations, The Little Mermaid and Scotland's loch monsters...really emotional and I liked all the twists' NetGalley Reviewer ?????'Whimsical and folkloric, this standalone felt so immersive and the storyline was gripping until the very end. So many mysteries, plot twists and romantic tension that will keep you awake at nonsense o'clock...This book is a delight, perfect for romantasy readers!' NetGalley Reviewer ?????'The worldbuilding was amazing!...I really liked the protagonist and the love interest' NetGalley Reviewer ????'Lochbound is a standalone historical fantasy romance that felt like a dark fairytale... [it] kept me gripped throughout and had some surprising twists. I absolutely loved the setting, a small village in the Scottish highlands bordering a loch, and the creepy, unsettling atmosphere of the story' NetGalley Reviewer ????