Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf by Mary Auclair Review

 

Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf: A Cozy Monster Romance by Mary Auclair
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars
🌶️🌶️½ spice

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and given honestly.

This is book three in the Monsters of Saltford Bay series. I’ve been lucky enough to read both the first and second books — and up until now, the first book had been my clear favorite… but this one just took that place.

While the books are all part of a series, you don’t have to read them in order. Even if you’ve never read the others, you’ll still be able to follow what’s going on. But seriously — I implore you, read them all. They’re so good.

I can't tell you how fast I devoured this book — less than a few hours. That’s how easy it is to read. The writing is clear, clean, and flows so well. The author has a real gift for making everything just work. I fell into the story so easily; it honestly felt like coming home.

The shining jewel in this book is the story itself. It’s wrapped up in mystery, like a game of Cluedo, and it had me constantly guessing — who, what, why — and I was completely surprised in the best way by the ending. The way it all unfolded made it so much fun to read and figure out. I felt like I was reading a fantasy romance/crime mystery hybrid — and I loved every second.

While the story was a major hit for me, the layers of romance and chemistry just pushed it over the top. Like… wow. I needed a cold shower — or at least to sit down for a minute because I was definitely swooning. The banter, the connections, the chemistry — it was all so well-written and so balanced. The spice didn’t overpower the book, and the story was strong enough to keep you hooked even without it. But together? Sheer perfection.

For me, this book had everything. I usually try to find at least one thing I struggled with or didn’t enjoy — but honestly? I couldn’t. Everything was beautifully done. Fantastic.

Would I recommend it?
Totally — no question about it.

Would I read it again?
Without a doubt. I’d reread this book — and the whole series — over and over again.

How would I sum it up?
Everything I want in a book. Flutter-inducing spice and romance, a fantastic story, smooth writing — it felt like this book was made for me.

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