Hired By The Grumpy Minotaur: A Cozy Monster Romance

by Mary Auclair

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 18, 2026

About the author

Mary grew up in the quiet peace of a small rural village in the heart of Quebec, Canada.

She spent her childhood chasing butterflies and catching frogs, playing in the mud and generally being as unladylike as she could. Her love of science led her to complete a mechanical engineering degree at the Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, where she met the love of her life.
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Years later, as she enjoyed the role of full time mom to her two wonderful children, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. 
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She now write as much as her busy schedule allows to bring to life her inner world, filled with exotic planets, mysterious creatures and off course, hot, alpha heroes and the women who melt their hearts.

When she's not writing, she can be found in the garden, walking her dogs or playing with fire in her kitchen as a part time hit-or-miss chef.

Reviews

[Anastey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Mary Auclair for sending me this advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was expecting a fluffy spicy read, but this book has an incredible amount of depth!

This is a wonderful second (and third) chance romance. Demetrius and Maddie have loved each other for well over a decade, but it feels like they live in two different worlds. One incredibly rich, and the other struggling to get through life.

I goes so deep with more than one generation of men making all the choices for their partners without asking them what they want. They just automatically fix everything, and arrange every bit of their lives without the smallest bit of input from them. It was done with love, and not a single bit of malice too. This hit really hard. There are so many emotions swirling around and a lot of hurt too. I really enjoyed watching that cycle be broken, and the ending was worth every bit of the pain.

They are both so sweet, and make an amazing pair once they figure out how to navigate their differences and control issues. The spice is plentiful and oh so incredibly hot. If you like larger sized equipment, you are going to love this! There is so much tender love and care mixed in with the delicious spicy goodness too.

The side characters are so good, especially Jazz and Agatha! They are a so funny! Their sass and banter really break up the tension.

Overall this was a fantastic read, and a great addition to the series. I can't wait to see what comes next!

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This character driven story is witty and cute, with the banter between the MCs being part of it. I snorted at a line that, as a reference for how long ago something occurred, said "back when cell phones had antennas."

Although I received a complementary advance copy, there were not typos or other obvious (aka distracting) issues with grammar or other editing issues.

The story is predictable in some of its details, the third act breakup was foreshadowed very clearly, but it's predictable in ways that feel a little like a security blanker; it's low angst, and a fun read. I was very happy that we didn't go eons into the story before finding out what happened to the MCs in the past, and there were also callbacks to some movies that made me laugh.

As mentioned, I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I've given an honest review. I'm not usually a fan of second chance romance, but this was good, and all in all a nice way to pass a couple hours.

[A L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply just loved this book so much. It’s a beautiful and sweet second chance romance but it holds so much more meaning.

The characters love each other so much but more importantly they grow both individually and together.

It’s honestly so moving and I confess to having a sudden case of allergies while reading.

Mary Auclair is such a gifted writer. The books are little gems of perfection when it comes to both timing, length and tempo. She mixed the hot and sweet whilst touching on some very real life issues all softened but the sweet cloud of romance.

I enjoyed this book immensely!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jendy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love getting to return to Saltord Bay on a fairly regular basis. I tend to be pretty cautious about second chance romances, but when it's really down to immaturity, and they meet later in life when they've grown up some, I definitely get it. Demetrius definitely drove me crazy with how slow he was learning, but I was glad when he finally got there. I was really happy when Maddie would not accept anything other than what she deserved from love. Agatha was hilarious, and I loved how down-to-earth and tough she still was despite having been wealthy for most of her life. The story definitely made me feel all the feelings of losing that first love.

[Carol-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great second chance romance. Demetrius and Maddie were teenage sweethearts. He was rich then but time has only made him richer. Circumstances bring them back into each other’s orbits years later and they find the feelings haven’t changed. The biggest question is has Demetrius learned from his mistakes or will he make the same ones and drive Maddie away again. It was wonderful to watch the character growth and see the struggles as both characters try to figure out what is most important and how to make things work. Well worth the read!

[Debdutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hired by the Grumpy Minotaur” by Mary Auclair

-This is a sweet, second chance romance with lovable characters, emotional growth, and plenty of sizzling chemistry. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts about the story.

Demetrius and Maddie’s journey is filled with love, healing, and learning to break old patterns while finding their way back to each other. The entertaining side characters add humor and warmth, making this another wonderful addition to the Monsters of Saltford Bay series.

[Glenna Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Monsters of Saltford Bay is a fun series to read.

Humans living amongst beings that act like humans.

The funny and sometimes sad moments in this book are worth reading.

Unfaltering love of parents, the ones that raise you and first love story in this book is very sweet.

Book 9 is just as entertaining as all the books have been in this series.

*I received this Kindle book from BookSirens. Thank You!

[Joan Ortiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

deceptively cute.

I liked that Maddie stood her ground and didn't let Demetrius bull doze all over her, but I feel like he really should have learned in 15yrs and he didn't. All the things were told to him but he still didn't listen. He got it together really quickly though, classic 80's movie with the big speaker and the live song (which I wonder what it was) absolutely loved the HEA that was achieved here. Hoping Jazz gets a story along the way in this series.

[LizJ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hired By the Grumpy Minotaur Book 9 Monsters of Saltford Bay by Mary Auclair is a great second chance romance. Maddie and Demetrius are a great couple, lots of witty banter, lots of spice and such a great character driven storyline. This has to be my favorite story in this series so far. Gotta love Saltford Bay and its quirky and oh so interesting people. Highly recommend!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Pouw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. Took me a minute to get into it, not entirely sure why. It was just missing something, a bit more depth or something. It was repetitive a little, which I suppose was the point somewhat. I was missing some things from a typical Minotaur read since I’ve read a lot of them. I felt like their banter could have lasted longer too, to add some tension. His character kinda confused me at one point too.. it was like he actually understood the assignment then he suddenly didnt? It was odd.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is super cute! I’m not typically one for cozy anything but give me a monster in there & I am here for it.

This was just such a sweet book with a decent chunk of spice that I’m here for & I adore the epilogue! It’s low stakes, cozy, small town, and I love this series.

I like Maddie’s backbone and her standing up for herself. Also liked that Demetrius had a little redemption too and the singing😂

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Edina · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is, I love this book. The author has a knack for displaying emotions so tenderly, and I was very much a teary mess by the end of it. This was a short read, and yes, naturally some parts felt a bit rushed, but overall I felt as though all the elements worked together in the big picture.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked this second chance story where Demetrius finally learns the lesson of not being controlling. Demetrius and Maddie love each other and can finally be together happily.

[Amanda Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing pair in Saltford Bay! I love the cozy enemies to lovers feel of this book. The tension and angst between Dem and Maddie is top notch. The hilarious banter makes this book fun to read. I devoured this book and can't wait for the next cozy, magical, and spicy read!

[DMA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful second chance romance with Maddie standing string and Demetrius learning what love really looks like. This is a fun sexy story.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Demetrius. Making the same mistake over really puts a hurt in his prospects. But learning the hard way how to love a woman is worth its weight in gold.