Stone Cold Groom

by S.C. Principale

It’s a gorgeous night for a wedding. Genesis just didn’t know it would be his.

Take one jilted bride crying over the beautiful vows she finds carved on a majestic statue, add in a touch of moonlight, and suddenly—Melinda is getting married after all! The catch? Her groom is a monster she’s never met and didn’t even know existed!

Genesis is the lone gargoyle in the paranormal-friendly town of Pine Ridge. While it seems like many of his friends are marrying humans, Genesis is determined to hold for his ideal Ms. Right, a gargoyle gal with talons strong enough to hold his heart and wings that will let them soar off into the moonlight together.

So when Genesis wakes up to find some sobbing human reciting a binding marriage vow—one he can’t easily get out of—he is not happy.

As Genesis and Melinda work together to make the best of an unexpected and unwanted situation, they both get another surprise—they’re falling in love. But will that be enough to convince them to stay in a marriage neither of them wanted?

Monstrous grooms and beastly brides? Don’t be afraid of falling in love… it’s super-natural! Explore the entire Monster Brides series, one tantalizing happily-ever-after at a time!

Genres: Monster Romance, Paranormal Romance

269 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2024

About the author

Author of romance with bite.
Especially fond of monster and paranormal romance, but she'll write some all-human romances, too!

Reviews

[Racy_Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely could not stop reading this book I started at 10 pm intending an hour before bed and here I am a few hours later, into the next morning in the wee hours just finishing it! This book has all my weaknesses; witty banter, humor, touch her and d!e vibes, tail play, dirty talk, fated mates and he’s Scottish!

“He has a voice that would remove a chastity belt.”

Gen is one hot gargoyle, I swear I could hear that brogue. He is also the biggest cinnamon roll I think I’ve ever read, a real poet!
Mel has a kind heart and is looking to be loved in the fairytale kinda way. She gets it! And more, these smexy scenes are so hot I was clenching and squirming!

[Biblio · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's a girl to do when she's left at the altar while her husband to be galivants off to their honeymoon spot with his best man. Cry? You bet. Storm around the garden? Check. Accidentally say vows to the gargoyle statue and end up his wife? OOPS. This book was so cute and so fun! Hilarious banter, tricky situations, shitty ex's, friendship and love. Oh and of course gargoyle peen which is and always will be one of my favorite peen varieties. Genesis is a grumpy gargoyle who is NOT into humans. Nope. Not. One. Bit. Ok maybe the small red haired woman in front of him who is wounded and loves so deeply mightttt be alright. To some. But definitely NOT Genesis. I drug this one out for days because I simply didn't want it to be over. That cover too! WHEWWW.

[K S · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 50% point of view switches constantly with no warning. Characters repeat info the reader already knows over and over. Only two monsters were met at the night market and no new experiences or shops at a market that's supposed to be full of monsters. Insta love when they didn't want to be married. The list goes on. . . . No chemistry with these two.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read plenty of this authors book and find them really enjoyable. These books don't have to be read in order but I have read the books previous to this one and after this. I am familiar with the writing style of this author and usually have no problems with it, until now.

I have never experienced this specific topic and the way that it was written in any of this authors books and I hope never to again because it was not handled well and I don't even know if the author understands the way that she wrote and how it might come off to someone who can pick up on sensitive topics such as these.

I say all that to say that I don't think these two characters should've been together, mainly because that main character was extremely racist/prejudice(choose which one you think is more appropriate) towards humans. I don't mean that in the way of "humans hurt us and now we don't trust them way". I mean it in the most dehumanizing way possible(I realize this is fiction and it is a monster romance).

He found even speaking to humans disgusting when most of his friends were married to human women/men but he made "exceptions" for them because he didn't have to be with them. He spent half of the book calling humans ugly especially his love interest(not to her face, only in his personal thought). All of those went away when he felt that he was falling in love with her though. I could understand if he didn't find her attractive or peculiar looking because they were two different species but that was not the case. He had a litany of reasons for every specific facial feature and why humans(her specifically) weren't attractive. There was also a "preserve the species " type stuff going that was very weird and very reminiscent of a certain period of time in history (this was only mentioned once). On the other hand, she didn't find him attractive because he is a literal monster and not once harped on his attractiveness(to herself or to anyone else or broke down his features). She was more in shock about the fact that monsters were real and she accidentally got married to one.

None of this issues were ever resolved. He just stopped calling here ugly and his disgust for humans were never resolved, the topic just ceased to exist.
There was not even a "he has a better understanding of humans moment" and acknowledge his prejudice, it just disappeared.
Could I possibly be looking too deep into this book, maybe...
Could this have been an unfortunate accident by the author and not have meant to come off in this manner, possibly...

I read for joy and I read across spectrums, but some things can not be ignored.

[The.SmuttyBookClub · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Please note that this review is mainly for my benefit as it is more of a summary of the book and may contain spoilers.***

🌶🌶🌶
• M gargoyle
• Human F
• M virgin
• M masturbation
• F to M oral
• M to F oral
• F to M anal play
• M to F anal play
• Vaginal penetration with tail
• Anal penetration with tail
• DP with cock and tail
• Hair-pulling
• Biting
• Somnophilia
• Wet dreams
• Shower sex

1 M masturbation scene
16 MF sex scenes


Genesis and Melinda

Would have been 4🌶 if there was any kind of spice before halfway through the book

After being stood-up at the altar, Melinda finds a gargoyle statue in the wedding venue's garden. She's heartbroken, and reads a beautiful poem that is written on a stone being held by the gargoyle.
As soon as she finishes the poem, the gargoyle bursts to life.
Genesis, a talented stone carver, has been tasked with making a heart stone for his cousin's wedding vows to her human partner. He finishes the stone, and decides to mail it off after he does a friend a favor by posing as a "statue" for a wedding. The bride specifically asked for the statue to be there. Unfortunately, he turns to stone while holding the heart stone with the vows visible.
When Genesis wakes, he's furious at Melinda. He's never wanted or been attracted to human women. They decide to work together to break the bond. They physically can't be far apart from each other until the consummate the bond. He invites her to stay with him until they can break the bond.
Genesis starts to have natural instincts to protect and provide for his mate, but he resists them as much as possible. Melinda becomes attracted to Genesis.
They end up together, get married (for real), and live happily ever after.

[Brandy Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So awesome

This story is so good. Everything is so fun and spicey. You fall in love with the characters, and you are happy for them. Everyone needs a grumpy gargoyle in their life looking for love. Pine Ridge is so real in my head that it makes my heart glad when a sweet grumpy gargoyle of the town finds love.

[Hailey Nawrocki · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a super cozy not quite enemies to lovers accidental marriage to a gargoyle.

those are all words. anyways read this one it’s cute af

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Story!

Loved this story. Neither of them wanted to be married to the other because they were not what they had imagined for themselves but fate had a different idea. So good.

[Isa Newbury | reading_isa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️
3.5 🌶

[Ingrid Spera · Rating 5 out of 5]

How cute! What fun and low drama, low angst, instalove (sorta), feel good story. All the right feels in all the right places. Who doesnt like a grumpy gargoyle?

[Breezi.ocean · Rating 5 out of 5]

First monster romance

I just loved this book so much ❤️ it was cute cozy and spicy in all the right ways.
I love the writing in this story. Really was a cozy monster Romance.

[DemetraP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very steamy. He uses his tail.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

S.C. Principale is a great author and I love reading their books! Genesis is so grumpy but so sweet underneath. Great read!