Blurb:
Kaleb
Schwartz isn't interested in the Loch Ness Monster. He'd enough
cryptobiological speculation about Bigfoot while studying the Pacific Northwest
forests. He's in Scotland's Great Glen to investigate aquatic food webs and
nutrients cycles; if he proves there's no food for any creature bigger than a
pike, then so much the better.
Jessie
McPherson has returned to Loch Ness after finishing university in London,
hoping to avoid the obsession with its dark waters she had when younger and
first discovered lonesomeness. She knows any relationship with a scientist
studying the lake is a bad idea, but something about Kaleb makes her throw
caution to the depths.
When
Kaleb discovers Jessie's lonesomeness refers not just to the solitude of the
loch, he's faced with an ecological problem of monstrous proportions. Can he
find a way to satisfy both the man and the scientist inside himself, and do the
right thing?
About the Author:
David is a writer, ecologist and teacher from Dublin, Ireland, now living in Pamplona Spain. He has a degree in environmental biology and doctorate in zoology, specializing in deer biology, and is still involved in deer management in his spare time.
As an
avid wildlife enthusiast and ecologist, much of David's non-academic writing,
especially poetry, is inspired by wildlife and science. While some of his
stories and novels are contemporary, others seek to describe the science behind
the supernatural or the paranormal.
A
long-time member of The World Wildlife Fund, David has pledged to donate ten
percent (10%) of his royalties on all his hitherto published books to that
charity to aid with protecting endangered species and habitats.
You can
find out more and read some poems and short stories at http://davidjmobrien.wordpress.com/ and can join David on
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DavidJMOBrien.
Review:
I guess
I could use a newer Kindle. I have an old one with a black and white screen, so
I didn’t really see the cover art. Furthermore, the blurb in the book said something
about Jesse keeping a deep, dark, secret. Well, when you’re reading a book
about an ecologist studying Loch Ness who falls in love with a local girl, she
can only be keeping one secret. Horrors! She’s not a virgin! Oh, wait—it’s the
twenty-first century and she’s been to college.
Had I really
looked at the cover art, or read the above blurb, I’d have realized she was
only keeping the secret from Kaleb. The real question was how and when Kaleb
would find out and what he would do with the information. I think if I’d read
the book from that point of view, I’d have had a lot more fun with it.
Even
though I read it with the wrong attitude, Mr. O’Brien took me on a wonderful tour
of the glen and the mountains surrounding Loch Ness. I loved his descriptions
of the wildlife that populates the area, and some of the local people were
pretty colorful as well. The romance skipped along at a pretty good pace, and the
characters were well-drawn. All in all, a pretty good read.
Author Website: http://davidjmobrien.wordpress.com/
Heat Rating: R
Length: 323 Pages
Digital Prices: $0.99
