Bewitched by the Sea Monster: A cozy Beauty and the Beast retelling

The Bewitching Hour

by Stephanie E. Donohue

"Welcome to Niverwick Isle! Where magic, monsters, and marvel await!"

Pippi didn’t want or need a vacation–and she certainly had no desire to stay anywhere near the raging waters of the sea. However, when her boyfriend drags her to a remote island getaway, which boasts a chance to spot the legendary Loch Ness monster, Pippi is determined to turn the furlough into the best vacation ever. But when a skinny-dipping misadventure ends with Pippi swept out to sea, she discovers Nessie is not only real—he talks.

And he’s pretty dang suave, for a prehistoric sea dino.

As she begrudgingly befriends the (confoundingly charming) sea beast, Pippi learns there’s more to this island than enchanting creatures and quirky locals. Deadly secrets ripple beneath its picturesque surface, and the Loch Ness Monster may be the key to unlocking the truth—and her heart.

Bewitched by the Sea Monster is a standalone book of the highly-addictive paranormal romance series, The Bewitching Hour . If you’re thirsting for magic and mayhem, spicy slow burn, and witty banter, then you’ll be ensnared by this quirky, sexy, and super fun series. Perfect for fans of Wednesday Addams, Bewitched, and Practical Magic .

Genres: Monster Romance, Monsters

417 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2025

About the author

Adequate author. Amateur graphic designer. Awesome cat mom.

Stephanie enjoys writing stories that take readers on gritty, exciting and dangerous adventures (with some swoon-worthy romance, of course!)

When she’s not writing, she can usually be found cuddling with her two cats, obsessively re-watching The Office, or rocking out to a Pound Fitness class.

Reviews

[Lynn_G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reluctantly accompanying her live-in boyfriend on a weeklong trip to an enchanted isle, human “Sensitive” Pippi is captivated by the Loch Ness monster Alistair who’s the central figure in the island. However, almost nothing there is as it seems, and Pippi’s empathic nature and inquisitive tendencies have her uncovering the sinister truth behind the denizens beholden to the island’s wealthy megalomaniacal owner.

This inventive romantasy has its share of plot holes and head-scratching intimate moments, but it’s entertaining nonetheless.

I received an advance reader copy from bookfunnel, and I’m sharing my honest review.

[S. H. Gray (FangedLibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and team for an ARC of this book!

I quite enjoyed it. Pippi and Alastair have that kind of cute and infatuated connection that I love to see in a book. It got a little dragging in the middle section with Jackson being an asshat, but I’m glad that I powered through it.

My only complaint is that I have an ick for the word “suckle” (and any variation) and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read it so many times in a single book before. That’s unique to me, though, lol.

[Tashie_LeeReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spicy content 🌶🌶/5


This book was absolutely adorable, and I loved every second of it! I just want to say thank you to the author for this ARC!

This story has such a cozy, whimsical feel, with just the right amount of heart and charm to keep me hooked from the very first chapter, and I felt so connected to Pippi!

I will admit, I do wish there had been a little more spice toward the end, but honestly, the overall story didn’t suffer at all from the lighter approach. I just always want more spice haha. But it still delivered everything I wanted.

Also the Beauty and the Beast vibes in this book were perfection. That fantasy fairytale atmosphere mixed with the sea monster twist made it feel both familiar and fresh at the same time.

And as for Jackson? All I can say is… he can go jump, lol.

I highly recommend picking this book up and giving it a go!

[Carrie McConn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute paranormal read.

MC begrudgingly goes on an island vacation with her boyfriend. Everything goes wrong, and he becomes more and more of a jerk as each chapter proceeds. This had me eye-rolling at the constant clumsiness she entails, always hurt, scratched, wounded.

MC has an annoying habit of saying "y'know" in every conversation. It was hard to feel engrossed when her conversations were so cheesy.

The main premise is cool, it's easy to figure out, but I just wanted more info: the magic system, why the sorcerers felt superior to the humans, maybe a few more pages of backstory, and less pages of, y'know.

I received an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the Bewitching Hour books, this was tye one I was originally the least drawn too, just because it is outside of what I normally reach for. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. The characters were lovable, and the story kept me hooked.

[Melissa LiVolsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads

Bewtiched by the sea monster
ARC Review

⚓️ Curses
⚓️ Marvin the talking cat
⚓️ The Loch Ness Monster
⚓️ Paranormal romance


I have to start by saying, I love Pippi and I will shin kick Jackson any day of the week.
This was definitely a unique book, never did I think I’d get a Nessie romance. I loved the curse storyline mixed in with mythological creatures. Marvin was the MVP 😆 the sass on that cat. Alistars story was heart breaking and I felt that pain and his guilt. I loved the conversations with him and Pippi. It had a sweetness to it. I’m always happy when love wins. 💙

[Melindeeloo]

The author did warn me up front, but I was hoping it wouldn't be ... I don't know .. the dream stuff with him in man shape was promisimg, but monster sex is not somewhere I want to go.

[Shreya · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐⭐

TROPES
💚Monster x Human
💚Loch Ness Monster
💚Size Difference
💚Later in Life Romance
💚Strangers to Lovers
💚Sweet Love
💚Touch Her and Die

--💟💟--

BEWITCHED BY THE SEA MONSTER is a cozy romance that follows Pippi, a 35-year-old office worker, who is surprised by her boyfriend Jackson for a vacation that boasts a chance to catch a glimpse of the legendary Loch Ness monster. However, what Pippi doesn't realize is that the Loch Ness is far from a monster, he can talk, and that he's hiding the secrets of the magical world that could change Pippi's vacation forever.

I've always loved a monster romance and my favorite character out of this entire book had to be Alastair, aka, the Loch Ness monster! Alastair was a sweetheart, a gentleman who did his very best to communicate that he wasn't a monster. His attempts to make Pippi smile made my heart ache and I loved how fiercely protective he was over her. That boat scene where Jackson is ab*sing Pippi and he braves the magical runes keeping him chained to the water to scare everyone had me CHEERING for Alastair!

Pippi is our other protagonist and she was a 50/50 for me. I adored her independence and her consciousness of her self-worth. She wasn't afraid to be herself, wear what she wanted, and voice her concerns. I loved her fiery red hair and her kindness to Alastair. I was expecting a rude confrontation when they met (not because of Pippi, but because of other fantasy-esque greetings I'd read), but Pippi was awkward and relatable and honestly that was the part I loved about her!

I also loved her POV's the best! She had sass, she had sarcasm, she had literally everything that made her both a sunshine and black cat FMC and I loved reading her metaphors. Donohue had an amazing way of playing with Pippi's word choices!

However, she didn't read like a 35 year old woman. I get that she was awkward and a people-pleaser, but the constant repetition of her 'belching' or other traits just made her seem like she's 'not like other girls', and that archetype was a bit vexing at times. I also think that, concerning her relationship with Jackson, it was just too drawn out. I understand the complexities around the relationship, but Pippi's inner thoughts didn't translate well physically.

Another thing I don't understand, also relating to Jackson, was how quickly their relationship fell apart. I get that Donohue was trying to show that they 'seemed' good, but they genuinely did, and Jackson didn't at all seem like a douchebag. I feel like his character was destroyed for the sake of Pippi being with Alastair, because it didn't make sense, to me, how he was the "evil" one. or how he went to loving and being a little aloof but caring, to a complete abusive psycho who beat Pippi. I think the story with Jackson wasn't entirely necessary, and I wish we had gotten better closure with him because we didn't.

In a similar vein, I think there were too many unnecessary characters. While I adored Kian and the alicorns and the spunky elderly couple, I don't think all of them were necessary; they didn't add much to the story but extra pages of nothing happening.

I'll be honest 😭I was ready to DNF at 20%, but Pippi made me continue, because I wanted to see her journey. But nothing happened for the first 10 chapters, and because of that, Pippi and Alastair's relationship felt rushed, very rushed. I loved their chemistry, but their actions, particularly Pippi's, didn't make sense. I liked the path of her fear of water, but I feel like that character arc was overshadowed by the complexities happening around Jackson, which, again, made no sense.

I think my favorite part had to be Pippi's rescue effort! I loved seeing her embrace her fears (though I think it would have had more of an impact if she didn't go into the water earlier with Alastair; that happened too quickly I think) and fight for Alastair's safety! The twist that Donohue came up with between Alastair and Onyx was amazing! I didn't think about that!

And the spice 🥵🥵there's not a lot, but PHEW! If you love a size difference, like "40 American Feet" size difference, then you HAVE to read this book and see how the chemistry between Pippi and Alastair translates physically!

Looking for more of my reviews? Want to contact me? Check out my blog! Shreya Reads, Reviews, and Writes

[Beba Andric · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reverse Little Mermaid retelling? Or a Beauty and the beast retelling? I wasn't sure but what I was, was intrigued. And gosh I was going "awwww" from the very first page! Water and a curse, that's what got me thinking "The Little Mermaid" but further on, an underwater monster and a curse, yep, Beauty and the Beast. Two POVs, distinct and vivid, lends itself to really get into the crux of both. Which I personally love, I like to "see" what's going on in the mind of the other. Alister is the one who's voice was taken from him. Cursed to be a monster. His despair rolls off him like waves on the beach, yeah, pun intended...Pippi, on the other hand, is trying to put out the flames from an order gone wrong. None of it her fault, her boss rushed the order, dumped the problem in her lap, and made himself scarce. So she too is feeling despair, albeit of a different kind. Next thing, her very hot boyfriend announces they're off on a vacation, which should be exciting but causes Pippi major anxiety. The destination, Niverwick, an island few can afford but her major issue is her fear of the ocean. Yeah, island equals boat, equals terror, equals her near death years ago. But go she does, her boyfriend Jackson easily persuaded here, he's hot, remember?

I actually really liked Jackson, even though he was superficial and more into himself than Pippi, he came across loving and sweet. Initially... then the claws came out and he showed his true colours. I admit to finding the pace a bit inconsistent, one minute steady and progressing well, the next, so fast my head spun. The scenes with Pippi's co-workers, the first boat scenes, I felt, were very drawn out and I found my attention wandering. Then the whole Jackson saga was so fast, I got whiplash. Pippi's co-workers too were a bit intense, there's supportive and there's over the top, to me, Kai and Jessa were definitely over the top. Plus the relevance to the Sorcerers and magic didn't really go anywhere. Magical entities, like talking cats and alicorns were cool, but felt "thrown in" rather than seamlessly sliding in.

Not withstanding those little niggles, I did enjoy the read. It was a lovely slow burn romance, with a touch of spice and a really cool plot. I did enjoy both Pippi and Alastair, I understood them and I enjoyed seeing them come together. Pippi is the quintessential people pleaser who's seriously being taken advantage of by Alex, her direct superior. Not that she's a walkover, she just needs time to process. And when she does, well, high five girl! She's an empath too, which is why she can feel and hear Alistair. I connected more with Alastair, I really think the author did a great job crafting him, he came across very likeable and my sympathy neurons were on high alert whenever his voice was presented. He'd forgotten so much, not only "words" but emotions too. Until Pippi. And here I thought the author excelled, she really captured his feels, which translated right into my heart. The unlikely romance, he IS a beast....was really sweet and tender. Alister was sweet and tender, beast exterior be damned.

So, all in all, there were really cool aspects and some not so much but I loved the message of hope, the message of self discovery and I loved the way it all ended up on a positive note.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I'll guard your heart, and you can guard mine."~Pippi

This was a really loooong and tedious read. I wanted to stop so many times.😖 But. I wanted to try and give it a chance to lure me in and there were moments that it did get interesting. But then... it would lose it's way again. Lose me as a reader. Too much going on, over extending itself, and it got boring. This was a new author for me, and she can spin a story, but it took too long to get there, too drawn out, losing focus on things that should have been built up rather than leave it as an overly dramatic second half or ending. For example: slight spoiler. Pippi's long term boyfriend suddenly becoming an abusive dbag that she wanted to break away from. Where did this come from? A dbag never loses their true face nor do they suddenly becomes this hurtful, shoving, lock you away till I cause you revenge pain. He wasn't like that in the beginning. Heck Pippa was all about the attraction she had for Jackson. She was happy. I guess fake happy.

Pippi, her name, I can't with that name.😭 An overly done running joke in the story. She was a 35yr old woman who didn't speak like a 35yr old. She read like an early 20s person who was a people pleaser, an empath, and always seemed to be drowning within herself. That's fine, but her emotional turmoil seemed to be taken very lightly and 'got fixed' by the end.🤷🏼‍♀️ She needed to stand up more for herself. Stop apologizing. And the oh stars.🤭 No more oh stars. Her boyfriend Jackson takes her to a magical island, Niverwick Isle, for a vacation week and weird chaos ensues. Expect supernatural creatures: main guy Alistar the Loch Ness Monster, grumpy Marvin the talking cat, Alicorns Elmas and Aeolis, kelpies, and big baddies who run the weird vacation destination. What was the deal with the Sorcerers and Sensitives. Are sorcerers running society? What kind of world was this aside from fantasy? Modern anddd... what else?

Pippi had a big fear of water and she can hear and interact with you guessed it, Alistar. I like the sensitive big guy. He saved Pippi and so begins their romantic, silly, OTT connection. Yes, she had Jackson at the cottage. The spice, it was weird. The monster romance was sweet but the the other stuff, nah. I'm good. No need.✋🏻😣

I'm on the fence with my rating here. 2 or 3. I like goofy sensitive Alistar. Moody Marvin. These guys deserved their long overdue ending. HEA? Yes. Happy reading. *•>§<•*💚💚💚💚

👩🏻‍🦰🏝️🐉Thank you to Ms Donohue and Bookfunnel. The opinions shared here are my own.👩🏻‍🦰🏝️🐉

[Sarah_A6210 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it more.
The book started off well and I immediately liked Pippi the FMC. Who isn’t an overachieving yes person because they’re too afraid of hurting someone’s feelings or letting them down. I also felt for her being an empath and worrying about everyone else’s feeling over her own.
Her relationship with her BF Jackson did feel very, he’s my priority, but they still seemed solid and it felt more like he was oblivious to how much she was doing because she was doing such a good job portraying ‘everything is perfect’.

I understood their relationship needed to crumble for her new one but I felt like he got thrown under the bus a little. He went from a little oblivious and selfish, to almost cruel and violent in a flash. When let’s be honest, he’s not a mind reader. No he was not perfect, by any means, but I felt like their relationship should have shown more signs of the bad before it was, well I’ve fallen for someone else because he’s bad, which he turned last chapter.

The relationship she developed with the actual MMC Alastair was innocent enough, he was cursed to be the Loch Ness monster, was gradually forgetting his words the longer he was cursed as an animal over human and Pippi was the only one who could hear him. Great plot.

I just didn’t connect half way through. Things started to disintegrate a little for me. She was so clumsy, but major injuries clumsy. They seemed to jump from, friends to sex dream about the Loch Ness monster, to high school conversations about it, to roll over on your fins and let me get you off….. baring in mind she’s only on this ‘vacation’ for a week.

The Scot’s accent drove me mad. They don’t all speak like that! I should know. I live there. That’s a personal Ick for me.

It had good premise. The plot idea was good. I was totally confused by the timeline. The end felt dramatic and sudden for drama and timeline sake. It had some very beauty and the beast vibes. I felt like there was a lot of filler talk over dialogue and some of the dialogue gave nothing to the story. I did get bored of reading about half way through and found I could have put this down and forgot about it easily. I did finish it by skim reading just to see how it ended.

It’s not a bad book, just felt a little meh for me personally.

I was very fortunate to receive this as an arc but all thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Thank you for the opportunity.

[Gleeful Goblin Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gleeful Goblin Review: I love monster romance more than any other genre so I was fully prepared to love this book as well. A romance with one of the best known mythic monsters, Nessie? For sure sign me up. And the FMC is close to my age at 35? Even better, I love reading about folks who are fully in adulthood. Except during the first intro scene with her I run right into this jarring bit: "My chipper must’ve been leaning closer to chipmunk if he thought my near geriatric thirty-five-year-old self young." Geriatric. At 35. I found that incredibly off-putting personally. I will say, the author did a great job of illustrating the extremes of being in a relationship with a malignant narcissist in the depiction of Jackson the Standie Boyfriend. The weaponized good looks paired with subtle negging of hers, of knowing things his partner avoids/is afraid of (the ocean and Nessie) but disregarding that entirely to plan a vacation that centers on those fears, and not being willing to do something nice for his partner like a massage without being compensated with a BJ, worrying about what other passengers on the boat will think of your girlfriend being horribly seasick over the top rail rather than taking care of that girlfriend, and on and on. We also see the result of being in that type of relationship for an extended period of time because we don't see our FMC speak her mind, advocate for herself, or disagree with Jackson very often which isn't a recipe for a happy relationship. Jackson is subtly awful from the first moment we see him but as someone who's been in these kind of relationships I totally get how easy it is to not recognize unhealthy dynamics.

When we get to the island where the vacation is supposed to take place there's some fun side characters who are magical animals that are introduced. One quibble I had was I didn't really understand why the animals were so eager to serve the human guests, curse aside, or why animals like the alicorns are described as "domesticated" when we're introduced to them.

Alistair however, seemed totally darling. He's been so lonely and alone for such a long time that he's losing words and according to him he hasn't spoken aloud in ages. I can understand him being lonely and eager but afraid of connection. The overall story wasn't as coherent as I'd want it to be but Alistair was the saving grace for me.

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Another addition to the Bewitching Hour series, Bewitched by the Sea Monster, has a different feel than all the other books, so far. While all books are filled with paranormal creatures, this is the one that stood out to me as one of the MCs is a “monster” who never changes into a human form. The romance between our FMC and monster isn’t my normal read, but I do feel like it was done well.

Pippi is being whisked away to a magical island by her boyfriend, Jackson, which she isn’t excited about. Jackson is making it sound like a vacation, but her fear of water has her paralyzed in fear due to an accident years ago. And while Jackson started off seeming like a good guy, his true colors eventually came out and yep, my opinion of him changed faster than I could blink. When Pippi is swept out to sea, a true nightmare of hers made real, she is saved by Alistar, the real Loch Ness monster who she can somehow communicate with.

What unfolds after this meeting is a lot of magical beings, creatures, and storyline. I did enjoy the story, but there seems to be a lot in it and it takes away from the storyline just a bit. I loved the paranormal themes, but there is such a thing as too much paranormal. The curse that made Alistair what he is was interesting as well. What I did love is the relationship between Alistair and Pippi growing. It was an interesting spin on possible kindred souls finding each other and not just romance.

I think this book had a lot of potential, and while an overall fun read, some parts felt rushed. I definitely think it goes well with this collaborative series and am glad that I read it. It was enjoyable and sweet.

As always, review any author notes before reading.

What to Expect:
💚Vacation Fling
🛥️Human x Mythical Creature
💚Golden Retriever MMC
🛥️Banter Galore
💚Forbidden Romance
🛥️He Falls First/She Falls Harder
💚Reluctant Attraction

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where magic is real, it isn’t so hard to believe that the Loch Ness Monster is perhaps not so monstrous…and may be capable of love.

“Words are hard.”
This, dear readers, is officially my favourite opening line ever. Because words are, indeed, hard - particularly for Alistair.

Pippi (yes, as in Longstockings) is on vacation with her boyfriend to the magical Niverwick Island, home of the Loch Ness Monster. It is supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime, but it reveals stress fractures in their relationship.

Pippi is terrified of the ocean - you know, the thing that surrounds islands. It is made even worse when a skinny dipping adventure goes wrong and she is swept away from the coast. But she is rescued by a giant sea monster capable of communicating with her…and his name is Alistair.

This was a lovely, funny read that had definite Beauty and the Beast vibes. Alistair is super sweet and genuinely hilarious. Their budding friendship was lovely to read, particularly in comparison to Pippi’s dying relationship with her boyfriend. Things do heat up between Alistair and Pippi, despite their anatomical differences. It is a slow burn, open door romance with unusual anatomy involved.

Thematically - there’s the dying days of Pippi’s other relationship, which gets very uncomfortable and borderline abusive. Pippi is able to sense other people’s emotions and often becomes overwhelmed by them. The story also addresses grief and revenge.

With so many laugh out loud moments - like attempting (and failing) to make a bikini out of seaweed - this was a really great read. I’d be very interested in reading more from this world and highly recommend it for fans of paranormal romances.

[Maaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the eARC. My thoughts are my own.

**

Pippi and her boyfriend Jackson get gifted a week getaway to a mysterious island which boasts numerous monsters, including Nessie, and no internet connection. They leave with open minds but with Pippi’s fear of the ocean and Jackson acting like he’s a jerk, their romantic trip might be anything but.

And then there is Nessie himself, Alistair. Something draws Pippi towards him and him to her and they soon grow closer. But is it just two kindred spirits finding each other in a remote paradise or is there something else at play?

Now this was such an interesting story. I really enjoyed the magic lore and found that I wanted to know more about Standies and Sorcerers. The island itself was so well crafted as well and I liked the addition that no modern appliance would work there. Sometimes having a break of all things technical sounds pretty good lol.

The romance is slow burn between Pippi and Alistair. I really enjoyed their moments together and especially Pippi’s compassion shone bright in those moments. I was definitely not fond of Jackson and I am definitely not mad they break up in the book (I don’t really consider this a spoiler since the story is between Pippi and Alistair). He’s a grade A jerk and while the book does veer a little into the cheating trope lane, I can forgive it this time. And the author does give a warning of this in the first page which I can appreciate.

I don’t want to give too much away but I really like how not everything is what it seems and people’s layers are revealed as the book goes on. And the supporting cast is fun and intriguing. I definitely wouldn’t mind returning to this world once more.

[lauren dedinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

What To Expect:
- paranormal romance
- nessie
- monster romance
- curses
- slow burn

before i start this review i have to mention that i have read only one loch ness monster book before and after reading said book i literally thought how i wanted to read more books with that. so i was so incredibly excited when i found out/was gratefully accepted to read this arc.

the one thing i really didnt like anout this book was jackson 😂 he just gave me the ick from the beginning. but thankfully pippi came to her senses and ended that relationship. (dont worry its not really a spoiler since the book is about her and alistair).

i really liked the storyline and the different magical beings in this book. it just felt so whimsical and it just made me feel happy, if that makes sense. marvin was such a fun aspect to add too, he is a talking cat btw.

alistair was such a gentle, kind and loving beast. and the way he connected with pippi just made me smile. i'm kinda jealous of their connection, but then again who doesnt want a connection with a paranormal creature/being such as the loch ness monster 😅.

there is so much i could and want to say about this book but probably shouldn't so i dont spoil it. thank you so much stephanie donohue for giving me the opportunity to read and review this arc!!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’re my favorite hat, Pippi.”


💚 Bewitched by the Sea Monster by Stephanie E. Donohue 💚


Another installment in the Bewitching Hour series, Bewitched by the Sea Monster is giving all the small town cozy meet cute vibes with a beauty and the beast twist. 


“My mom used to say tears were how our souls shed their scars. I guess I’ve got a lot of scars. And they’re not even… I mean…”


Another amazing new author and another new favourite book! I absolutely loved this. The world building was fun and unique, I loved the modern contemporary aspects mixed with the magic and creatures. The setting was just perfect for this story, I could really picture the island as I was reading! 


“Why get a life jacket when I’ve got a sea dino to inflate my blouse?”


There were some really great characters in this book, I loved the side characters, especially Marvin the cat! Pippi was so relatable, I really loved how sweet and friendly she was, also her banter was so good! And then there is Alistair. Oh my sweet Alistair, I was absolutely besotted with him. However, of course the blonde BF was a no no 😂 who wants a blonde when you can have a giant green scaled sweetheart! 


“Of course I want to be with you, ya goof. You’re my person. Y’know?” “I do.”  “You’re my person too. I love you, Pippi.”


I really enjoyed this book, especially loved the last few chapters, they just made my heart so happy! If you want a cosy sweet romance full of banter then I highly recommend this!!


💚 Slow burn 

💚 He falls first, she falls harder

💚 Forbidden romance 

💚 Banter galore 


⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

🌶️🌶️/5

[Danielle Grohmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

🥀A beauty and the beast type romance where a curse is cast due to heartbreak and the need for revenge of loved one where Loch Ness monster is the beast.
Pippi lives her life making everyone else happy but is slowly losing herself. Pippi finds herself reluctantly following her boyfriend on a vacation to a magical island where guests are greeted by a talking cat and are able to visit banshees, kelpies, will o wisps and other mythical creatures, the biggest being the Loch Ness monster. Alistair( the Loch Ness monster) and Pippi form a bond and share their traumas and emotions and develop a soul deep connection and feelings for each other.
This was an adorable and whimsical book. I felt that is quite unique and loved all characters except Jackson who can go sit on a spiny cactus 🌵. The story seemed to flow well and there were a couple unexpected twists I did not see coming.
Marvin the talking cat 🐈was also a wonderful comedic edition and has all the sass.
There is some monster smut components (loch ness peen 👀) and spice at the end of the book.
Overall a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me with some moderate spice at the end
Thank you for eARC
Another wonderful book in the Bewitching Hour Series

[Jasmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

**ARC REVIEW**
3.5 ⭐️

Bewitched by the Sea Monster is such an interesting story. I really enjoyed the adorable, eccentric characters—especially Pippi and Alastair. Their banter was fun, and their slow-burn romance was both charming and genuinely sweet.

The worldbuilding was a standout for me. Niverwick Isle is full of magic, curses, mythological creatures, and even a sassy cat or two. The setting felt vivid and well-crafted. Alastair—yes, the Loch Ness Monster—was written with surprising depth, and watching his relationship with Pippi unfold was one of my favorite parts. The humorous dynamic between Pippi and her coworkers added an extra layer of personality and charm.

That said, I didn’t fully connect with the story on an emotional level, which kept me from rating it higher. But that comes down to personal taste more than anything. It’s still a solid, well-written paranormal romance that I think many readers will really enjoy.

If you're into magic, mayhem, sea monsters, and offbeat paranormal romance, this one is definitely worth diving into.

Thank you to Stephanie E. Donohue for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so magical! I devoured it and fell madly in love with Alistair. This was an exciting story with a wonderful mystical element and a fantastic setting. I loved reading all about the creatures living on the island.

Alistair was a phenomenal character. He was so well written and came across exactly how how should have. He was goofy, adorable, and utterly irresistible.
He reminded me of a abused puppy at first and my heart just shattered for him. I just wanted to cuddle him and make him feel better.

Pippi was such a fun character. I absolutely loved her personally and affectionate nature. I liked that she was older and a little set in her ways. Watching her reinvent herself and grow as a character was enlightening.

The writing for this story was so well done. The words just came alive and drew the perfect picture of everything. The characters were unique but relatable and very engaging and likeable. The story flowed beautifully and captivated me from beginning to the very last page.

I'm not sure what my horses would think but I really want an alicorn!! I really loved this story and would definitely recommend it!!

[Marcia - itsabookthing2021 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this is a "loch Ness monster" story I didn't realise I needed but after reading it, I now know that I really did! I absolutely loved it!
The backstory behind this curse is unfortunate and somewhat heartbreaking. I loved the intricate weaving of the purpose behind the isle. It made for an intriguing read.
The main story itself was great, I loved Pippi but my god I was praying for her to wake up to Jackson's red flags. I hated him (Jackson). I loved all the other characters though, they were great and really created so well (Jackson was created well to in that aspect). I loved Marvin too, love a talking cat 😂
Alistair was the perfect MMC, I loved all the interactions we had with him. I loved his interactions with Pippi.
I feel I need to mention something without spoilers - My GAWD!!! Iykyk 😉
I love Stephanie E Donohue's writing style, she faces up sarcasm, sassy, emotions and a whirlwind journey. I love the pull she has with her words and her storytelling. I loved getting lost in this story.

[Lydia J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and simple read with an interesting premise, especially with an FMC who is over the age of 21. I hope others enjoy it, and I have loved others in this series, this one was just not it. The whole book, from word choice to behaviors felt like high school/college relationship instead of a couple of 30 something’s who supposedly have careers and social skills.

Alastair’s character was lovely and could’ve used significantly more page time. Giving Rune his comeuppance was great, but what repercussions did Jackson face? None.

As much as I wanted to enjoy this story the word usage and choice is what predominantly kept knocking me out of suspension of disbelief and severely impacted enjoyment - not sure if this is by design or due to poor editing.

[Brittany Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had such an interesting story, it flowed really well. I loved the quirky, adorable main characters, and their interactions had me laughing often. Alistair is such a goofball, and Pippi matched that with her colorful flair even if she was a hot mess most of the book. The author had some verb choices that bothered me, but they weren't too hard to move past.

The only real issue I had with the story was that when it came to confrontations with Jackson, Pippi never addressed how abusive he actually was. He physically harmed her multiple times in the book and trapped her in a confined space and it was kind of just brushed past to focus on him being rude and a leech of a person.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this one and gave it a 3.5 personally.

[Stacey Foss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved The Bewitching Hour series. The books are full of magical fun. This book was just that Neiverwick Isle is magical, full ot amazing creatures and curses that change everything. The story is an interesting, slow burn that is full of healing pain and finding your soul mate. Alistair's story is a heartbreaking one he is full of pain and guilt. Pippi is on a vacation with her boyfriend by the ocean that she fears and when she gets swept out to sea she encounters Nessi ( Allistair). While her boyfriend was a jerk and the trip was one wrong thing after another. The journey that Pippi and Alistair took in finding love with each other was magical and a fun read. You also get some sassy fun loving side characters. I was given this book as an ARC for my honest review.

[PleaseGoAwayImReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this and let me tell you, this was such a sweet story that was very creatively constructed. I wasn’t expecting that, so this was a very pleasant surprise. I also wasn’t expecting the level of emotion conveyed by the characters . Both the MMC, Alistair, and the FMC, Pippi, have emotional trauma in their backstories that lead them to where they are in the story. Seeing two souls in pain connecting with each other and then seeing the results, bit by bit, of self reflection, acknowledgement of mistakes, and forgiveness leading to increased hope and happiness of spirit was just really beautiful.

[Willow A. McDowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! I love a good monster romance book and I am no stranger to them.

I like the idea and the plot of the book but what fell a little flat for me was the female main character. There was just something about her that didn't resonate with me, and that's fine! You cant expect every book character to. But to me she just seemed a little flat. And I didn't really feel a connection between her and MMC, so it seemed very rushed with little actual connection.

The writing was good though and it was a quick and entertaining read for sure.

I did not purchase this book and read it as an Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am voluntarily giving this review.

[Marie Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me ages to get into, but I did reach a point where I did not want to put this book down. I think one of my main issues from the beginning was Pippi's original relationship. There were some red flags pretty early on, and as things progressed and she kept trying to make things work, I felt more and more uncomfortable. This story could use a TW for mental and physical domestic abuse.

Thankfully, Pippi is able to find someone that gets her, even if he is the Loch Ness Monster. I do wish that the mystery of the island was hinted at a little more strongly earlier in the book, but everything escalates all at once and those last few chapters really keep you on your toes.

[tattooedbooknerdgirl35 (Amanda Lynn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say this is my first book by the author and she really captivated me with this story. This is part of The Bewitching Series and I love these little series and how the authors can suck you into their stories.

Bewitched by the Sea Monster is a story bout Pippi and how she ends up in on a island as a vacation with her boyfriend and how she ends up meeting the sea monster and she could hear him, no one really could but her. She ends up finding out all bout him and how he came to be & all the things he faces and what she faces with her boyfriend while on the island.

Read and find out what happens between the sea monsters, the boyfriend and Pippi, you won’t be disappointed.

[Rebecca Hathaway]

First off, very unique premise. As I read a Scarecrow romance earlier this year I figured this would be up my alley.

I was kinda of scared to finish it when I first started as it started with the fml and her dumb human boyfriend. Wasn't about to read about some cheating. But it's okay she ditches that loser. (He gets so annoying and made me so mad several times.) But the sea monster lover, Alistair, was definitely sweet and had a tragic backstory. Which always makes for such loveable men.

Wish I could have seen some more fleshed out back ground on a few things. But over all a fun quick read that was intriguing and kept me hooked.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC



The idea is very cute, not enough Loch Ness Monster love in my opinion. The story is full of magic.


I love Alistair. I HATED her boyfriend Jackson.

I wanted to like this book more but I was not feeling the story to begin with..the start felt a bit slow.

I like his little pov moments you get. Their interactions were very cute. And he was such a lovable character. His personality really shines.

I liked the curse breaking how it did. But I don’t like that Jackson had no repercussions to his actions with the way he treated her.