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Graced by the Cat
All Jesse's dreams depend on a little white cat.
Jesse's supposed to be on a plane, earning money and revenge on his parents. Instead he's lost in the Alps, about to drown in a storm—a definitive way to fail at one of the world's most selective jobs.
The beautiful man stumbling into his castle gives Max painful hope he can finally break the curse that keeps him a helpless cat. In return, Max showers him with gifts: luxuries, even the keys to the world, and sensual dreams beyond imagining. But soon, dreams aren't enough. Jesse wants more. So does Max.
As they dive deeper into Jesse's missions for the mysterious Exclusive Acquisitions Inc., they'll guide each other through a world of hope and desire, magic and love.
Graced by the Cat is an M/M reimagining of the fairytale The White Cat, a non-shifter modern fairytale romance launching the EA Inc. series.
Jesse's supposed to be on a plane, earning money and revenge on his parents. Instead he's lost in the Alps, about to drown in a storm—a definitive way to fail at one of the world's most selective jobs.
The beautiful man stumbling into his castle gives Max painful hope he can finally break the curse that keeps him a helpless cat. In return, Max showers him with gifts: luxuries, even the keys to the world, and sensual dreams beyond imagining. But soon, dreams aren't enough. Jesse wants more. So does Max.
As they dive deeper into Jesse's missions for the mysterious Exclusive Acquisitions Inc., they'll guide each other through a world of hope and desire, magic and love.
Graced by the Cat is an M/M reimagining of the fairytale The White Cat, a non-shifter modern fairytale romance launching the EA Inc. series.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 8, 2024
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892 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 25, 2024
Jesse & Max
Rating: 3.8 ⭐
- Fairytale Retelling
- Cursed Prince
- Age Gap (Centuries)
- Adventure
- Emotional Scars
- Magical Creatures (Non-shifter)
I don't know about you, but if I step into a deserted looking castle and FREAKING HANDS extend from the wall to lead me down a corridor to meet a talking cat…yeah, I would run out of there and take my chances with the flood coming down the Swiss Alps. Jesse was to calm with all of this magical stuff happening around him.
This is a retelling of "The White Cat" a French fairytale by Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy. I was already familiar with the fairytale going into reading this book, which made this more enjoyable for me. You could easily read this without being familiar with the original and still enjoy it. This retelling had me immersed in the story and fully invested in the MC's and their missions. At times it makes you anxious and a little jumpy not knowing how the author was going to have this or that element play out in the storyline. You get a story about self-loathing, resentment, magic, hope, desire, love, and redemption. It was overall a delight to read and I love a good gay fairytale retelling, so I was happy!
Jesse has been hustling and using his charm to get him into EAI after his parents cut him off and left him homeless, just because he's gay which doesn't fit the path they mapped out for him. He has something to prove to them and he needs money to pay for the lawsuits they have brought against him. When your parents find a way to sue with stupid charges because they're mad at you, you know they're evil people. Jesse has received his first assignment heading to Ecuador but after a mishap with his fear of flying, he's now lost in Switzerland. A storm is coming and the rain falling down from the alps could drown the valley in a blink of an eye so Jesse needs to find shelter. He finds a castle in the distance and decides to try and shelter there if he can. Once inside he gets way more than he could've imagined and throughout his adventures he begins to find his true self, the love and acceptance he never received before, and a new purpose for his future. All thanks to a Prince who's cursed to be a cat and their quest to find items for Jesse's new job.
Prince Maximilian (Max) was cursed centuries ago to be a cat until he could determine the difference between want and need. This seems simple but he's been grieving for a long time, clouding his thoughts. Max has an ability to create items out of thin air but he doesn't fully understand his ability. He can also create a portal of sorts behind any door that will take you to what you need and he can dream walk to find out what his visitors truly need. Over the years he has had people come to his castle asking for things, some he could give and many he could not. He's gone through a lot of physical pain as well as his emotional pain because treasure hunters would try to kidnap/torture him to get what they wanted. Max has fully resigned himself to his fate and hasn't had a visitor since his last bad experience with kidnappers. Jesse shows up and breathes life back into him and shakes his world off kilter. He wants to help Jesse find the items in his assignments, hoping that it could possibly help him break his curse as well. Max didn't expect to ever love again except he falls hard and deeply in love with Jesse but he knows that he cannot keep him. For Max, he sees no future for a human and a cursed cat that can only truly be together in their dreams. Plus, Jesse will age and Max will not, so he doesn't want to lose another love of his life knowing Jesse dying would truly be the end for Max.
Yes, Max is a cat pretty much the whole book and Jesse only gets to see him as he truly was in their dreams. Let me tell you, those dreams were HOT HOT HOT HOT (especially that DP dream 👀)!! Traveling across the world through doors (portals basically) to find these items also brings a lot of danger. There's a lot of suspense during their travels because they are being followed by mysterious forces, interrogated by scientist, attacked by magical creatures, and seeing wonders of the world they didn't know existed. The couple has a beautiful connection, even though Max kept trying to fight it and push Jesse away, selfishly. Jesse is determined to help Max and his friends in the castle be free, pay back his friend Rico who gave him a place to stay instead of the streets, and to be the person he was always meant to be. Anytime Jesse started arguing with Max it was funny because he's seriously looking down and yelling at a small fluffy white cat!
I would've loved to have gotten more pages on Jesse and Max together after the curse is broken, since we spent the whole book with Max as a dang cat. I want to know more about their future now that Max can't just create whatever they need anymore. There are two epilogues at the end but only one of them are about the couple. Next up for Geneva Holt in this world is Rico's story and that one seems interesting as well.
I received a free copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Verse: No
HEA: HFN
POV: Dual
Breakup: Yes and No; They were never an actual couple when Max tells Jesse to leave.
Rating: 3.8 ⭐
- Fairytale Retelling
- Cursed Prince
- Age Gap (Centuries)
- Adventure
- Emotional Scars
- Magical Creatures (Non-shifter)
I don't know about you, but if I step into a deserted looking castle and FREAKING HANDS extend from the wall to lead me down a corridor to meet a talking cat…yeah, I would run out of there and take my chances with the flood coming down the Swiss Alps. Jesse was to calm with all of this magical stuff happening around him.
This is a retelling of "The White Cat" a French fairytale by Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy. I was already familiar with the fairytale going into reading this book, which made this more enjoyable for me. You could easily read this without being familiar with the original and still enjoy it. This retelling had me immersed in the story and fully invested in the MC's and their missions. At times it makes you anxious and a little jumpy not knowing how the author was going to have this or that element play out in the storyline. You get a story about self-loathing, resentment, magic, hope, desire, love, and redemption. It was overall a delight to read and I love a good gay fairytale retelling, so I was happy!
Jesse has been hustling and using his charm to get him into EAI after his parents cut him off and left him homeless, just because he's gay which doesn't fit the path they mapped out for him. He has something to prove to them and he needs money to pay for the lawsuits they have brought against him. When your parents find a way to sue with stupid charges because they're mad at you, you know they're evil people. Jesse has received his first assignment heading to Ecuador but after a mishap with his fear of flying, he's now lost in Switzerland. A storm is coming and the rain falling down from the alps could drown the valley in a blink of an eye so Jesse needs to find shelter. He finds a castle in the distance and decides to try and shelter there if he can. Once inside he gets way more than he could've imagined and throughout his adventures he begins to find his true self, the love and acceptance he never received before, and a new purpose for his future. All thanks to a Prince who's cursed to be a cat and their quest to find items for Jesse's new job.
Prince Maximilian (Max) was cursed centuries ago to be a cat until he could determine the difference between want and need. This seems simple but he's been grieving for a long time, clouding his thoughts. Max has an ability to create items out of thin air but he doesn't fully understand his ability. He can also create a portal of sorts behind any door that will take you to what you need and he can dream walk to find out what his visitors truly need. Over the years he has had people come to his castle asking for things, some he could give and many he could not. He's gone through a lot of physical pain as well as his emotional pain because treasure hunters would try to kidnap/torture him to get what they wanted. Max has fully resigned himself to his fate and hasn't had a visitor since his last bad experience with kidnappers. Jesse shows up and breathes life back into him and shakes his world off kilter. He wants to help Jesse find the items in his assignments, hoping that it could possibly help him break his curse as well. Max didn't expect to ever love again except he falls hard and deeply in love with Jesse but he knows that he cannot keep him. For Max, he sees no future for a human and a cursed cat that can only truly be together in their dreams. Plus, Jesse will age and Max will not, so he doesn't want to lose another love of his life knowing Jesse dying would truly be the end for Max.
Yes, Max is a cat pretty much the whole book and Jesse only gets to see him as he truly was in their dreams. Let me tell you, those dreams were HOT HOT HOT HOT (especially that DP dream 👀)!! Traveling across the world through doors (portals basically) to find these items also brings a lot of danger. There's a lot of suspense during their travels because they are being followed by mysterious forces, interrogated by scientist, attacked by magical creatures, and seeing wonders of the world they didn't know existed. The couple has a beautiful connection, even though Max kept trying to fight it and push Jesse away, selfishly. Jesse is determined to help Max and his friends in the castle be free, pay back his friend Rico who gave him a place to stay instead of the streets, and to be the person he was always meant to be. Anytime Jesse started arguing with Max it was funny because he's seriously looking down and yelling at a small fluffy white cat!
I would've loved to have gotten more pages on Jesse and Max together after the curse is broken, since we spent the whole book with Max as a dang cat. I want to know more about their future now that Max can't just create whatever they need anymore. There are two epilogues at the end but only one of them are about the couple. Next up for Geneva Holt in this world is Rico's story and that one seems interesting as well.
I received a free copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Verse: No
HEA: HFN
POV: Dual
Breakup: Yes and No; They were never an actual couple when Max tells Jesse to leave.
April 9, 2024
4.5 stars
I have never heard of a fairy/folk tale about The White Cat, I thought it might be something like a Beauty and the Beast take off, but it wasn’t that either. Jesse works for EAI, Exclusive Aquisitions Inc, tracking down rare items, “ones beyond compare”, for their clients. Jesse is supposed to be in Ecuador to find a rare orchid, but due to his fear of flying, he is actually in Switzerland, caught in a rainstorm outside an old castle. Hoping for shelter, he is greeted by hands coming out of the wall to let him in and take him deeper into the castle, only to meet a talking cat. And that’s only the beginning of the weird things Jesse encounters.
Max was cursed by a mage hundreds of years ago, destined to figure out the difference between want and need, and still hasn’t yet. Stuck in the body of a white cat, Max has magical powers to conjure items up and to move place to place by stepping through doorways. Intrigued by Jesse and a desire to help people, Max helps Jesse as he hunts down his aquisitions for his boss, in some rather unique ways.
As Max and Jesse look for the required items, they have an attraction to each other played out in sensuous dreams, which quickly become not enough. They both need more, and breaking the curse becomes a motivator, as well as a desire for love, as both deal with past heartbreaks and feeling unloved.
They are not without exposure to danger, however, and find themselves running into interesting beings, some human, some not, some helpful, some causing harm, all while trying to fulfill Jesse’s mission while trying to determine who to trust. There is a lot of action, magical help from Max, interesting side characters that are sometimes hard to tell if they are good or evil, and exposures to past people and events when gaining more understanding of their impact and how to move on. There is a HFN at the end, but indications all is not yet resolved for Jesse and Max and those in their sphere. Fascinating, complex characters, magic in many forms, a constantly evolving mysterious plot with hidden meanings, and for me, an unexpected solution for Max and Jesse. I wonder where the next book will go from here.
I received an ARC from the author and this is my voluntary review.
I have never heard of a fairy/folk tale about The White Cat, I thought it might be something like a Beauty and the Beast take off, but it wasn’t that either. Jesse works for EAI, Exclusive Aquisitions Inc, tracking down rare items, “ones beyond compare”, for their clients. Jesse is supposed to be in Ecuador to find a rare orchid, but due to his fear of flying, he is actually in Switzerland, caught in a rainstorm outside an old castle. Hoping for shelter, he is greeted by hands coming out of the wall to let him in and take him deeper into the castle, only to meet a talking cat. And that’s only the beginning of the weird things Jesse encounters.
Max was cursed by a mage hundreds of years ago, destined to figure out the difference between want and need, and still hasn’t yet. Stuck in the body of a white cat, Max has magical powers to conjure items up and to move place to place by stepping through doorways. Intrigued by Jesse and a desire to help people, Max helps Jesse as he hunts down his aquisitions for his boss, in some rather unique ways.
As Max and Jesse look for the required items, they have an attraction to each other played out in sensuous dreams, which quickly become not enough. They both need more, and breaking the curse becomes a motivator, as well as a desire for love, as both deal with past heartbreaks and feeling unloved.
They are not without exposure to danger, however, and find themselves running into interesting beings, some human, some not, some helpful, some causing harm, all while trying to fulfill Jesse’s mission while trying to determine who to trust. There is a lot of action, magical help from Max, interesting side characters that are sometimes hard to tell if they are good or evil, and exposures to past people and events when gaining more understanding of their impact and how to move on. There is a HFN at the end, but indications all is not yet resolved for Jesse and Max and those in their sphere. Fascinating, complex characters, magic in many forms, a constantly evolving mysterious plot with hidden meanings, and for me, an unexpected solution for Max and Jesse. I wonder where the next book will go from here.
I received an ARC from the author and this is my voluntary review.
April 6, 2024
First I must say that I have not heard of the fairy tale it is based on. But that did not matter I did not have to know the fairy tale to enjoy it.
Jesse is a down on his luck, but has managed to snag a well payed prestigious job as a finder of highly sort after items. Supposed to be in Ecuador so what was he doing in Switzerland.
The scene was set as soon as stepped up to a deserted castle and a hand answered the door. Jesse did not let that strange phenomenon get in his way as he was on a quest, but was it an item or a quest of the heart
I really liked Jesse with only a handful of folk fighting his corner he still tried to do the right thing. There were times that he was vulnerable and my heart broke with all the horrible things done to him
Maximilian (Max) was stubborn,having spent years by himself and closing his heart, he didn’t know what it was like to feel anything especially his feelings about Jesse. Although there were a few times I just wanted to shout at him and ask him what he was playing at.
Jesse’s employers are intriguing and I want to know more about them. I hope we do and also the scientist that are showing an interest in Jesse. Why?
This was well written and fast paced making it a quick read. The scenes were descriptive and you could imagine yourself being there. I loved how they got round Jesse’s fear of flying and with the epilogues being teasers for what is going to happen next I will be at the front of the queue to read them
As a new to me author Geneva Holt will be an author I will definitely seek out
Jesse is a down on his luck, but has managed to snag a well payed prestigious job as a finder of highly sort after items. Supposed to be in Ecuador so what was he doing in Switzerland.
The scene was set as soon as stepped up to a deserted castle and a hand answered the door. Jesse did not let that strange phenomenon get in his way as he was on a quest, but was it an item or a quest of the heart
I really liked Jesse with only a handful of folk fighting his corner he still tried to do the right thing. There were times that he was vulnerable and my heart broke with all the horrible things done to him
Maximilian (Max) was stubborn,having spent years by himself and closing his heart, he didn’t know what it was like to feel anything especially his feelings about Jesse. Although there were a few times I just wanted to shout at him and ask him what he was playing at.
Jesse’s employers are intriguing and I want to know more about them. I hope we do and also the scientist that are showing an interest in Jesse. Why?
This was well written and fast paced making it a quick read. The scenes were descriptive and you could imagine yourself being there. I loved how they got round Jesse’s fear of flying and with the epilogues being teasers for what is going to happen next I will be at the front of the queue to read them
As a new to me author Geneva Holt will be an author I will definitely seek out
April 6, 2024
Graced by the Cat is part of the multi author Once Upon A Time series. Each book is a standalone story but why not enjoy the whole series. Ip couldn't put down the book once I started it. This is a fun reimagined fairytale. I have not read the fairytale The White Cat, that this story is based off of but I still loved this book. This story is about Jesse a human and Max a prince who is cursed to be a cat. Geneva Holt has done an amazing job with the characters. This made my wish the story wouldn't end, I really wanted more of the story. I would definitely recommend this book and I can't wait for more books in the series.
March 18, 2024
Geneva Holt has written a lovely, absorbing, thoroughly enjoyable book.
I found myself immersed in the story, truly interested in the characters’ lives and how they interacted with others and their environment. Immersed enough to occasionally be a bit anxious about how this or that element was going to play out... but not so anxious that I had to skip ahead to find out. (Yes, that happens, there’s enough stressors in the world, I don’t want my fiction reading to pile on.)
I am delighted to know that another book will follow this one.
I found myself immersed in the story, truly interested in the characters’ lives and how they interacted with others and their environment. Immersed enough to occasionally be a bit anxious about how this or that element was going to play out... but not so anxious that I had to skip ahead to find out. (Yes, that happens, there’s enough stressors in the world, I don’t want my fiction reading to pile on.)
I am delighted to know that another book will follow this one.
April 6, 2024
Another excellent book by Geneva Holt that drew me in from the beginning and I was completely enthralled following this well written magical storyline.
Max who is cursed to live as a Cat and Jesse who is trying to live his life to his criteria not his parents are both such interesting characters that I really bonded with. Max has so much hope that Jesse can break his curse and showers him with gifts and sensual dreams but they soon realise that is not enough and the want the love they both feel to become more. Looking forward to more in this series.
Max who is cursed to live as a Cat and Jesse who is trying to live his life to his criteria not his parents are both such interesting characters that I really bonded with. Max has so much hope that Jesse can break his curse and showers him with gifts and sensual dreams but they soon realise that is not enough and the want the love they both feel to become more. Looking forward to more in this series.
April 13, 2024
fun twist on beauty and the beast
This book was well written and a lot of fun. Unusual take on magic and mages. It was a bit slow burn, but worth the wait. There were some story lines left unresolved and I’m not sure if there will be a second book with Max and Jessie, but I hope so!
This book was well written and a lot of fun. Unusual take on magic and mages. It was a bit slow burn, but worth the wait. There were some story lines left unresolved and I’m not sure if there will be a second book with Max and Jessie, but I hope so!
April 8, 2024
A thoroughly enjoyable first book by Geneva Holt. It was so well written and drew me right into the story. I am reading it again I enjoyed it so much. It is a beautiful MM re-telling of a childhood fairy tale.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy.
May 3, 2024
Nice Story
I really enjoyed the story. It is nice to see a tried and drew concept with a twist on it. Can't wait to read the continuation.
I really enjoyed the story. It is nice to see a tried and drew concept with a twist on it. Can't wait to read the continuation.
July 15, 2024
I love Fairy Tale reimaginings but this one was kind of all over the place and I wasn't quite sure what it wanted to be
January 17, 2025
'Graced By The Cat' by Geneva Holt
This was such a fun book to read; I'm still smiling!
Storyline based on a very old European folk tale which has been told in several countries for centuries; it's history is much older than anything The Brothers Grimm wrote down, often called 'The White Cat'.
Usually the tale involves a male-female type of pairing, so it was a welcome change-up to discover a male-male pairing, even though one of the males was at present a cat.
All sorts of heart-thumping action involving several different multi-national (and even otherworldly?) agencies, all trying to capture either the cat or the human, or both, either trying to kill them or use them for experiments (what kind, we don't know).
On top of all that action, of the two protagonists trying to survive, is their love story (with two other love stories tangled into the current one, one of which spans centuries).
Great action-adventure-love story!
I liked how both MCs continually had to evolve their thinking (or sometimes one or both let their stubbornness get in the way), and their ongoing responses to life, (and growing feelings for each other) using learning curves based on what was happening to them in the here and now. Often they had almost no time to figure things out and had to "think on their feet", in response to immediate actions around them! Yeah, quite a few heart-pounding moments!
Loved it! Two thumbs up! 👍👍
This was such a fun book to read; I'm still smiling!
Storyline based on a very old European folk tale which has been told in several countries for centuries; it's history is much older than anything The Brothers Grimm wrote down, often called 'The White Cat'.
Usually the tale involves a male-female type of pairing, so it was a welcome change-up to discover a male-male pairing, even though one of the males was at present a cat.
All sorts of heart-thumping action involving several different multi-national (and even otherworldly?) agencies, all trying to capture either the cat or the human, or both, either trying to kill them or use them for experiments (what kind, we don't know).
On top of all that action, of the two protagonists trying to survive, is their love story (with two other love stories tangled into the current one, one of which spans centuries).
Great action-adventure-love story!
I liked how both MCs continually had to evolve their thinking (or sometimes one or both let their stubbornness get in the way), and their ongoing responses to life, (and growing feelings for each other) using learning curves based on what was happening to them in the here and now. Often they had almost no time to figure things out and had to "think on their feet", in response to immediate actions around them! Yeah, quite a few heart-pounding moments!
Loved it! Two thumbs up! 👍👍
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October 6, 2024I really enjoyed this more than I expected to! I wasn’t familiar with the fairy tale it’s based on, looking forward to reading it next.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews