This book has officially cemented Monster Romance as one of my absolute favorite genres. I came for the spice (and yes, it’s spicing 👀🔥), but I stayed for the heart. Because wow—this story is just so cozy. It radiates cottagecore and cozy academia vibes in the best way: gardens, cooking, gentle moments, and soft monster care.

Lyra is bold, fiery, and full of chaos, while Cairn is the ultimate grumpy, reclusive MMC… except, it’s his softness that completely undid me. His quiet strength, his gardening, his cooking, his tender care of wild animals, it all made my heart thud. Honestly, there’s something irresistible about a brooding minotaur who’s as good with his hands in the soil as he is with his heart.

The romance simmers and blooms slowly, and its equal parts tender and forbidden. Their push and pull felt so natural, and the emotional growth made their connection all the more magical. This book proves monster romance doesn’t have to be dark or brutal, it can be tender, cozy, and oh-so romantic while still delivering that dash of spice we’re all here for it (OK, it wasn’t a dash, it was the whole spice rack).

If you love grumpy x sunshine, cozy fantasy vibes, and a monster MMC who’ll melt your heart as easily as he’ll set it racing, A Witch and Her Minotaur belongs on your cozy autumn reading list, stat!

This was actually my first time reading this author (I jumped straight into book two without reading the first because I just loved the sound of this book), and now I’m definitely intrigued. While I never felt lost, this one works perfectly as a standalone, I’ll absolutely be going back to pick up the first and patiently (impatiently) waiting for the third.

I loved the first book of this series and have been stalking Emberly Wyndham in every media form that I can find waiting for the ARC of the second! It was not time wasted. I loved "A Witch and Her Minotaur" just as much.

This reads as a cozy, witch story that just has Fall feels. Struggling to control her fire magic, Lyra, is ordered to help the school's caretaker a Minotaur, named Cairn, in hopes to learn to control it. Soon the little smoke between these two is blazing hot. Problem, he is a school employee and she is a student.

This book has humor, spice but not over the top, and a storyline that makes you just want to continue. It's an easy read that is great for just a day to curl up and read on the couch.

Thank you Emberly Wyndham and Netgalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cozy, spicy, easy to read, and likable characters! If you've made it far enough to be looking at reviews for this book, my guess is that you'll love it!
Set in Coven Crest Academy, Lyra is a fire witch struggling to control her magic. She's assigned community service as a last ditch effort to get it together or get kicked out of school.
Cairn is the groundkeeper who's comfortable with his solitary life, who now has to deal with a spunky fire witch.
The age difference is 10 years, but Cairn comes off as an old soul, while Lyra very much feels like a young college girl. She also has some abandonment issues to deal with.
I feel like this book has a good amount of romantic tension, and whole lot of spice.
Happy reading!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Emberly Wyndham’s A Witch and Her Minotaur is a gentle, heartwarming cozy fantasy that makes for a perfect “baby step” into monster romance. With its academic backdrop, tender mentor-apprentice dynamic, and low-stakes charm, it feels like slipping into an enchanted story that welcomes you with open arms.

At its heart is Lysandra, a young witch eager to grow into her magic but uncertain of her place in the world. When she’s paired with the enigmatic Mr. Axton—a minotaur whose reputation suggests strength and intimidation but whose quiet wisdom proves far more valuable—their connection begins as an academic partnership. Lysandra studies, stumbles, and learns under his guidance, while Mr. Axton reveals unexpected gentleness beneath his towering frame.

The setting leans more toward enchanted libraries, candlelit lessons, and magical discoveries than epic battles or peril. The stakes are intimate rather than world-shattering: courage, self-discovery, and the possibility of belonging. Their slow-blooming bond unfolds with patience and sweetness, each interaction steeped in trust and mutual respect.

Wyndham beautifully balances whimsy with warmth, showing how a witch and a minotaur can carve out a space for companionship—and perhaps something more—in a world that doesn’t always know where they fit. For readers who love soft fantasy, mentor-apprentice stories, and a cozy introduction to monster romance, A Witch and Her Minotaur will leave you utterly charmed.