Coached By The Grumpy Gargoyle

Monsters of Saltford Bay #11

by Mary Auclair

I had one night with a gargoyle. One tiny problem: gargoyles mate for life.

I stole a slice of pie from the grumpiest gargoyle in Saltford Bay, and he offered to spank the attitude out of me. One dare, one moonlit flight, and one spectacularly bad decision later, I slipped out of his bed at dawn, because I have rules, standards, and a strict no-coworkers policy.

But Coach Bram Stryge woke up with a mating mark. Gargoyles mate once. On touch. Forever.

And apparently, I'm it.

Welcome to Saltford Bay, where monsters are real, neighbors are nosy, and true love comes with claws.

Each book in the Monsters of Saltford Bay series can be read as a standalone. This cozy and steamy small town romance story is low angst, funny and full of sexy, grumpy monsters with tusks and hearts of gold. Intended for mature readers.

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 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]

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

I'm so sad that this is the last book in this series! I've really enjoyed reading all of them.

This one was really good, and had a ton of tension and spice. The banter was also excellent, and the snarky back and forth between Rory and Bram was great. This was a fated mate type book, but there was a little bit of slow burn going with the romance side of things. They did a lot of back and forth with each other, and there was a little bit of miscommunication too. It all worked out beautifully in the end, and the HEA was so perfect.

I also enjoyed seeing how things worked out with the school bullying. It was very true to life on how it happened, and how the various characters handled it. I've seen this exact kind of situation play out when I was in High School, although that ending was very different. I wish we had more school counselors like Rory, because knowing someone truly cares and is willing to fight for you makes a huge difference.

Overall this is a fantastic quick read, and a great end to the series.

[Debbie Benson]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how a piece of pie and Rory's sass leads to Bram and Rory falling in love and mating. I really liked how they stood up Eli when he was bullied.

[Amanda Wagner]

I love all the books in the Saltford Bay series but this one might be one of my favorites so far! I love the badass FMC and her sassy mouth! They was she brought Bram to his knees was chef's kiss! The plot was really good and my heart went out to Eli, so glad he found his strength at the end! Spice, plot, and loveable characters make this book a 5 star for me!

[A L]

This book was such a heartwarming little ray of goodness that I’m struggling to find words. Mary Auclair writes the best cozy, fated mate stories. Coach Bram is adorable and Rory is the school counsellor we all wish we had in high school. The side story is sad but carries a strong message and as in all cozy romance everything is resolved and the HEA can wrap things up.

I feel so much joy reading these wonderful short stories full of romance, spice and good conversations. Not only are the books well written and very engaging but Auclair always manages to fold some honest reality and character growth into the mix.

I honestly loved this book to pieces!

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

[Tasha]

Coached By The Grumpy Gargoyle by Mary Auclair was such a fun, cozy monster romance! I loved the grumpy gargoyle hero and the way his tough exterior slowly gave way to a much softer side. The chemistry between the characters was sweet, entertaining, and kept me turning the pages. I also really enjoyed the Saltford Bay setting. It has that cozy small-town feel that made the story easy to settle into, while the monster element added a fun twist to the romance. There’s a nice balance of humor, sweetness, and romantic tension without the story feeling overly heavy. Overall, Coached By The Grumpy Gargoyle is an enjoyable, feel-good read and a great addition to the Monsters of Saltford Bay series!

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

[Janette Gellar]

Rory wanted one piece of French silk pie after a tough day but by the time she got to the cafe there was only one slice left. Everyone in Saltford Bay knew that the last piece of pie belonged to Coach Bram. Rory just decided that she didn't care. One argument later Bram has her in her arms on his way to his home. But what's a gargoyle to do when he finds his fated mate but she wants to keep it casual? He has to show her what life with him could be like. This was a great, cozy read and I loved the gargoyle-monster romance.

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

[Deborah Sauer]

I loved this short, sweet romance with a bit of spice! This author is new to me and it was such a lovely, well written story. The FMC Rory is sassy and the school counselor we all wish we had. The MMC Coach Bram is strong and kind. Both care fiercely about their kids. It was interesting to see them handle a side story about bullying. I loved Bram and Rory’s romance. It took pie to get them going, but once it did the sparks flew! I look forward to reading more by this author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carol-Ann]

After a year of avoiding each other, school counsellor, Rory and athletic coach, Bram, explode in the bedroom leading Bram to realize Rory is his fated mate. Now he just has to get her to catch up outside of the bedroom. Not an easy task for a woman worried about being taken seriously.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot line as well as the undeniable heat between the two main characters. This book is certainly worth the one sitting read!!!!

[Jendy Reads]

I have read all the Saltford Bay books and really enjoyed them. Fated mates is one of my favorite tropes and this book delivers! I especially loved the way the school bullying issue was dealt with. I've definitely lived it going much differently. This evidences how it should be done! Rory is such a great character and a great match for Coach Bram. The spice was great and there was no slow burn happening here! It's available now, so you should grab it and enjoy!

[LizJ.]

Coached By the Grumpy Gargoyle Book 11 Monsters of Saltford Bay by Mary Auclair is wonderful, sweet and spicy romance. Love Bram and Rory they are so good together both sweet, caring and real characters, I'm impressed with how the author dealt with the subject of bullying very tastefully done. Highly recommend!

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

[Glenna Turney]

I love the Monsters of Saltford Bay Series.
This one is sweet with a good storyline.
Two teachers, a Bully and an innocent kid.

As good as the story was, it was missing it for me.

I have read all Mary Auclair books in the series and am still excited to read the next one.

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

[Angela]

Boo, this is the last one (unhappy face). I have loved and fallen in love with every monster and their journey to happiness. Saltford Bay is a place that should be real. And Coach Bram is one who deserves his HEA.

[DEBBIE GG]

this is a wonderful way to end this series. the mfc has a sassy snarky mouth and the gargoyle loves it. they have a lot of sparks, but it leads to a mated couple. i really enjoyed eli and the way he handled himself. the plot was cute and flowed smoothly and all the characters were awesome.

[Doretha Robinson]

Very enjoyable read

I had my doubts, it was how is the even get a story out of a Gargoyle! Well I just want to say thank you for this most beautiful written book, I’ve read in a long time.

[DMA]

This was a lovely heart warming story. I love every minute of it.