A Holiday to Sustain Us

The Magi Accounts #3.4

by Michele Notaro

One kiss under the mistletoe and now I’m hooked. I can’t get him out of my head… and I think I might like it.

Convincing my pride to have a holiday celebration was supposed to be a fun way to bring everyone together. But my plan went awry when my younger pride mate convinced everyone I needed a kiss. I hadn’t expected Ash to volunteer. And I certainly hadn’t expected him to kiss me on the lips and… linger.

Now, all I can think about is feeling his lips on mine again. Instead of planning gift giving and parties, I’m planning how to win Ash over. And what better way to convince him to spend time with me than to have him help me with my holiday plans?

The holidays are coming to the Ono-Nai house, and I only have one thing I’m wishing for this year—Ash.

A Holiday To Sustain Us is a fun 70K word MM urban fantasy companion story meant to be read AFTER A Purpose That Restores Us (The Magi Accounts 3). It’s from Charlie's perspective and takes place between books 3 and 4 of the main series. This is a companion novel, NOT a standalone.

Genres: M M Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 20, 2022

About the author

Michele is married to an awesome guy that puts up with her and all the burnt dinners she makes—hey, sometimes characters are a bit distracting, and who doesn’t plot when they’re supposed to be cooking? They live together in Baltimore, Maryland with two little monsters, a three-legged princess, a four-legged goofball, and a cutie with giant ears (aka their two kids, their two cats, and their dog). She hopes to rescue another cat soon, and if her hubby wouldn’t kill her, she’d get more than one… and maybe a few more dogs as well.

She loves creating worlds filled with lots of love, chosen family, and of course, magic, but she also likes making the characters fight for that happy ending. She hopes to one day write all the stories in her head—even if there are too many to count!

If you would like updates on my new books or to be notified when a new book is released, please join my mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/cseIXT

You can find me on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

Feel free to contact me. I’d love to hear from you.

Reviews

[Achim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Not exactly easy to rate this one. On the one hand we have Charlie who's such a kind, lovable guy, an extraordinary hugger, fierce fighter and empathic friend and there's the life at the Ono-Nai's house and pride which became a safe haven for wounded souls and a spark of hope in this dark world but that is also part of my issue: it's supposed to be a dark world but we mainly get that by Kulani's nightmares and Ash's comments about his past at the compound and somehow it feels more like a reminder for the reader that there is a world outside than part of the story of this book.

I get it, this is supposed to be a Holiday story and therefore light has to conquer the dark but here's no conquest, it's only hiding at refuge. Unfortunately without the dark balancing it, the sweetness at times is getting too much with deaf puppies, cute kids and funny pet names (Kitten doesn't fall into that category, even if Charlie likes it). So while I enjoyed getting more about Charlie, I still expected a different story.

[Ronie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

One can't sleep on these novellas

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series & was so happy to see that Ash finally accepts the pride and his feelings for Charlie. I would have liked to have "seen" a little more of Ash's life in the compound. Yes, I know that life was/is hell, but I wanted a little more of that connection. Also, we started off from Ash's POV and then is told mainly from Charlie's POV. I would have liked a more balance POV's. I loved the whole Christmas experience and how excited the kids were. We really get to see them as a family who love each other unconditionally. I can't wait for Jude's book, which is next.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest opinion

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michele didn't have to take my heart through a tenderizer like that, but I'd happily hand it to her to do it again. Seeing Charlie and Ash face their pasts and learn ti trust and love each other was beautiful. I teared up a bit in some parts.
I keep on harping that I'm not one for holiday romances, except for select few authors who do them right. Michele has won a spot on that author list. The story surrounds the characters and their lives and feelings, not the idea of Christmas day. I loved it

[SophiaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet and surprisingly light when you think about Ash's past.

The lighter tone of this story goes well with the holiday theme of the book and made me want to start decorating immediately.

Even Mads was more engaging in this one. He started to taw in the last one but in this one he was downright chipper (*people gasping loudly). I adore every single character and my heart hurts for K-R-J, can't wait for their book and HEA.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

A Holiday to Sustain Us is a companion novel to the Magi Accounts series, and is best read in order after book 3. It shifts the focus from Cos and Mads to Charlie and Ash, while also giving us a glimpse of things to come for Jude, Kulani, and River. Ash played a decent sized role in A Purpose That Restores Us and there was a definite tension between Charlie and Ash, so this was no surprise. I liked that we got to step outside the main series couple and get different perspectives. Seeing the main characters through Charlie’s eyes was fun, as well as informative. This book is mainly told through Charlie’s POV, but Ash has some chapters and scenes as well. This worked pretty well as Charlie was the driving force behind the celebrations.

Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.

[Janet Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Holiday to Sustain Us is a phenomenal read. Definitely not a standalone, you must read the series in order to fully enjoy this wonder Holiday story!! A Holiday to Sustain Us hooked me and wouldn’t let me put it down. I have been waiting for Charlie to get his mate. He’s such a fun character to read. Ash was perfect for him. They were so sweet together and their banter was fun to read. I loved Charlie’s enthusiasm for the holiday, put me in the spirit! I freakin loved Charlie’s POV, his thoughts were so much fun. His zest for life! I loved everything about this story, left me with a mile. Overall, a fantastic addition to the series. I cannot wait for more in this world the author has created. Well written with addicting pacing!

[Demetra Roussakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Set in the Magi Accounts series, I recommend you read the other books as the same characters are throughout. This is Charlie’s and Ash’s book and it started with a kiss under mistletoe. Ash moved into the Pride house and is now part of the Ono-Nai Pride. Told in Charlie’s point of view, it tells the story of how they got together and how they fell in love. Really enjoyed the epilogue and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

I voluntarily received a copy of this book for my review.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Holiday to Sustain Us

So cute!! Ahh, this was so sweet and adorable. I loved Char and Ash’s story! I also enjoyed seeing the pride have their first Christmas today! It was so fun, entertaining, and like always full of so much love!

[Jessi Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really nice having this sweet story in-between the more angsty main story.

[Ay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shmoopy. All the shmoop!

Diabetics be warned. OMG.

[beaumont the rizz cat greedy 😼 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute

3.5 ⭐️

could’ve been either shortened or faster paced, but was still nice. a good reprieve from all the seriousness in the main series

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very wholesome, but not much going on plotwise. A nice, comfortable holiday read

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful heartwarming romantic holiday tale for fans of this series

Rating: 4.5🌈

If you’re not familiar with The Magi Accounts series, this isn’t the book for you. A reader has to have read all the preceding books, in the order that they were written, in order to understand the people and relationships talked about here.

But if you have, then you are in for a heartwarming read, rare for this series and universe.

It starts off as a series of interludes, some of which have already occurred in the previous book, A Purpose That Restores Us (The Magi Accounts 3) . But this time the perspective is through the eyes of mage Ash and lion shifter, Charlie.

This is their story or series of events that lead to their bonding.

It starts off a bit fragmented but it steadily grows together as it leaves the known scenes behind and starts to build its own narrative based around the Ono-Nai pack’s first holiday together under one roof with all its new members.

It’s a scary, fragile, and wonderful time for everyone, each in a different way, as the tale unveils.

Ash, a compound born mage, with all the horrors and damage that entails, is a character we’ve slowly gotten to know. Here we begin a deeper journey with him through his first memories of Jude and Mads to becoming part of the pack , then the true story which is his relationship with Charlie, a lion shifter.

Charlie has always been a series favorite due to his kindness, his open heart , and his willingness to accept his differences while others won’t. His love of makeup, and sparkly clothing. Images that clash with that of the lion shifter norm.

Notaro slowly builds a deep bond between Ash and Charlie, one of trust, friendship which then becomes something greater.

All done through the trappings of two holidays celebrated by the pack as they decorate, shop, and prepare together.

It’s heartwarming, not without its brutal reminders of the world outside and what members of the pack have gone through in their pasts, but it is also about found family, friends, and love in all facets.

Whatever the next full book holds , Notaro is giving her readers two companion stories as gifts.

This wonderful heartwarming romantic holiday tale for Charlie and Ash. The next , An Embrace To Hearten Me, will be for Jude, River, and Kulani. That’s a story guaranteed to be heartbreaking and tissue worthy. The brutality and horror they have endured makes any happiness they find indescribably sweeter. I can’t wait to read it.

I’m highly recommending A Holiday to Sustain Us (The Magi Accounts Companion Novellas) by Michele Notaro to all readers of this series and the series to all lovers of dark urban fantasy fiction.


The Magi Accounts:
🔹The Scars That Bind Us #1
🔹The Shackles That Hold Us #2
🔹A Date To Impress Him #2.5
🔹A Purpose That Restores Us #3
🔹A Holiday to Sustain Us: A Magi Accounts Holiday
🔹An Embrace To Hearten Me: The Magic Accounts 3.5 - 8/29/2023
🔹A Ruse To Unchain Us: The Magi Accounts # 4 - TBD 2023

[KJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a cute interlude. It’s nice to see a little bit more of Charlie and Ash, because I love both of them as supporting characters in the main arc of the series. Overall, this can be summed up with that one word: cute. It doesn’t hold quite the intensity that the main series does, possibly because in comparison there really isn’t much conflict in this story and it’s centered around the holidays (it’s in the title after all!). It’s lovely to just have a little more information and be in the world.


Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Sure! I do think it’s probably going to be a good thing that I read this before I read book four.


See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book


CHARACTERS: Charlie is really lovely, so it’s nice to see a little bit more inside of his head. His vulnerabilities because of how he likes to dress and what he likes that don’t mesh with his ‘outward appearance’ are universal in many ways. Ash is also fun to read about, though I will admit that it felt like he did a complete 180 once he and Charlie got together. I was more than surprised by it. I’m personally delighted when Michele doesn’t allow any sort of stereotypes in terms of ‘top/bottom/vers’, so that is fun. And I absolutely LOVED being able to read Mads and Cos from Charlie’s POV, because it’s just brilliant to end up seeing them that way.


PLOT: If you’re looking for the action/adventure of the main plot, that doesn’t happen here. It’s very much relationship/pride/holiday interlude focused. It’s lovely in its own way and you’ll only be disappointed if you go into this expecting the type of brilliant action/adventure we’re used to in the main arc of the series.


EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

2 out of 5/low. The investment in these characters is already there, but the high stakes intensity is not. So think of this as a beach read interlude chance to spend time with the characters we’ve come to love.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?

90%. I still feel like the gap that occurs (even the epilogue on this one still brings us quite far out) and I can’t believe that absolutely NOTHING happens in that time in the main arc. But I’m going to trust the author on this. Otherwise, it was all just…nice. Sweet. Cute. Nice. My only wish is that they felt like they had the same amount of importance that Mads/Jude and Cos do.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can say little about "A Holiday to Sustain Us" by Michele Notaro except that I loved it. I'm a big fan of the series and have a bias a couple of thousand miles wide by now - though I'm still critical! (Hopefully, of the constructive kind, though). As I said in my last review, I was disappointed to learn that Jude would have a novella in the series, not a novel. I felt he (and K and River) deserved so much more. I prefer something other than novellas, as I find that they typically do not have enough breathing room for the story to unfold. Luckily, Notaro's novellas are generally long ones, and though less packed than the main ones, they do have a coherent plot - that is, they are more than snippets of domestic scenes of whatever couple they focus on.

But back to "A Holiday to Sustain Us", I truly enjoyed knowing more about Ash and Charlie. I liked that the story didn't feel rushed, so we can enjoy Charlie and Ash in their full-blown awkwardness and love agony for a while before they get together. On the other hand, Charlie is one of the more endearing characters in the series; I love his mixture of strength and vulnerability. So I enjoyed seeing that he finally updates when it comes to boyfriends - though I'd have loved seeing his past relationship with a bit more depth since it plays a part in his insecurities. Conversely, Ash needed a wee more development, in my opinion. Like the other magi, he's had traumatic experiences, including an abusive boyfriend. At the same time, he had to toughen up precisely because he had to deal with so much. These two sides are also addressed in the story, but I felt not as satisfyingly as in Charlie's case.

These remarks aside, I did enjoy this one. Charlie and Ash's novella is sweet without being syrupy and funny without being trivial. I'm really looking forward to the next one - Jude's!

I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest opinion.

[J.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is another side story to the main Magi Accounts series. Similar to previous “.5” stories, it adds to the world-building of this unique world without significantly advancing the main plot. It is different in that it features point-of-view main characters who are not Mads or Cosmo! Ash and Charlie are not meant to be a different version of the pairing we’ve come to love, but instead, represent a fresh perspective on this world. I enjoyed seeing Ash’s third-party impressions on Mads and Jude from another fellow magi.

A minor quibble I’ve had about this entire series is that the alternate insult terms feel forced and contrived. For some reason, that ramped up for me in this book, especially when I also found the flirting between Ash and Charlie rather immature for how old they are. However, I willingly temper my critique with an acknowledgment that these characters seem like they should be older based on their life circumstances (Ash by force, due to his magi race, and Charlie only slightly more willingly). The high school-esque banter escalated from 0 to 60 at the book’s midpoint, when the characters fell into bed together (metaphorically speaking, since I’m not referring to the earlier platonic snuggles). It was a bit whiplash-inducing, but afterward, the burgeoning relationship felt a lot more natural as the full connection between the characters deepened.

As much as I enjoyed Charlie’s sunshine personality, I do wish I could have visited Ash’s point of view for more than the prologue. I would have loved to see Ash’s acceptance of Charlie and some of his own emotional healing (and character development) at closer hand. Overall, I love these side stories that allow Notaro to fully explore elements and delightful and fascinating side characters of this immersive fantasy world without distracting too much from the main storyline.

[Xanthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one for fans of The Magi Accounts series as it's a companion story, giving a full book to side characters from the main series.
Charlie has been a complete sweetheart from the start and reading him get his own HEA is so lovely, and that it's with Ash, who we only really got to know in book three but you could feel the start of something there between the two, makes it even better. This is purely from Charlie's POV and so get a little more detail of his history but the story mostly focuses on bringing Christmas to the Ono-Nai pride and his developing relationship with Ash. Both men's vulnerability comes through, Charlie having bad experiences with previous boyfriends and, Ash being a mage, has had horrible experiences with the compound and the way others treat mages. Together, they show care and support, often without needing to speak as Charlie's lion provides a sense of security to Ash as well.
The festive feels are out as well as it's the groups first real Christmas together, not something that the Mage's have ever celebrated and they want to give the children especially a true family Christmas, as well as spoiling them rotten after everything they've been through. We also get a closer glimpse into Charlie's friendship with Mads, and how important it is to him.
It's a heartwarming romance at Solstice and Christmas that celebrates family, both blood and found, along with friends and teammates, some that they never expected to become friends with. A must read for those who love the series!
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[Quizatron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I really enjoy this series but this book just did not do what it was supposed to do and I honestly feel that it could be cut entirely which sucks because I honestly really like charlie and ash AS SIDE CHARACTERS, I feel like if we're gonna get a story with them as main characters it's needs more breathing room then a companion holiday novella especially since Notaro insists on the extreme abuse of the compound being applied to every single mage who grows up there. Meaning every single mage has severe sexual, mental, emotional, and physical trauma as a result of their upbringing and while yes everyone does process trauma differently, ash being willing to jump into an intense emotional relationship with sexual elements (especially with the addition of kink) literal WEEKS after escaping what sounding like near daily physical and possibly sexual abuse is such a disservice to this character and to the themes I think Notaro is trying to explore. I also really hated that this book is almost entirely from Charlie's POV for almost the same reason, this is a book that definitely should've focused more on ash and how he was dealing with all the changes in his life, I can kinda see why she maybe avoided that since almost all the mages backstories are the same but the way Charlie's voice and Notaros writing style meshed just made him almost unbearable. Her strength is really in action-packed scenes and navigating highly emotional moments, and when she's good, she's great! I honestly really enjoy the rest of the series so far, but this book played only to her weaknesses with none of the impact the others.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great addition to the series, love the holiday vibe.

Not a stand-alone. You need to start with book one as the story is a continuation and well worth reading.

Great world-building and the characters have good backstories. We meet Charlie and Ash, who are among the lowest groups living in this new world. First, there are Humans, Shifters and then the Magi, the order of society. Charlie is a shifter who loves to dress femme, and Ash is a Magi.

Cosmo is the leader of a pride group of cat shifters and the Alpha leader of one of the task force groups; he's also the leader of the Shifter community. Both Charlie and Ash live in Cosmo's pride house.

This book brings together everyone to celebrate Christmas. Loved this additional book.

This book's complex relationships between the shifters and the Magi are wound effortlessly. Such a great read/listen.

Zachary Zaba did an amazing job of the narration. I did, however, have to speed up the narration to 1.20 on Audible, but this is usual for me.

A Holiday to Sustain Us
The Magi Accounts
By: Michele Notaro
Narrated by: Zachary Zaba
Series: The Magi Accounts, Book 3.6
Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins

❤❤❤❤ Overall
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration
📚📚📚📚 Story
Read at 1.20 speed on Audiobooks

I received this audiobook for free from GRR at my request. My review is my opinion and an honest review - neither the author nor GRR influenced my opinion.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, and enjoyed this interlude from mostly Charlie’s, and some Ash’s, POV. I liked seeing Mads and Cos from a different perspective, and how this advanced the plot of the main series too. I love the found family of the Ono-Nai Pride.

I liked how this followed on from the previous book in the series, and Charlie and Ash’s kiss. I loved how they slowly move into friendship and more, with Charlie thinking at first that Ash is straight, and therefore not interested. Ash accepts Charlie for who he is, and Charlie learns more about what life in the compound was like for Ash, and understands why Ash wants to carry his focus when they go out. I hope Charlie gets hold of those responsible for making Ash’s life hell and gives them what they deserve and more.

I love how Ash protects Charlie in the field and claims him as his. Yet Maisie is not forgotten either.

One of the highlights of this book is the friendship between Charlie and Mads. The Christmas shopping scenes for Cos’ and Mads’ presents are sweet. I love how they all work together to make a perfect Christmas.

I liked the hints of Kulani’s past and how this will lead into Jude’s book. I’m looking forward to that one.

I loved the epilogue and how it reflects both their cultures.

[Savy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all of Michele's novella's in this series, the story is much lighter than the main story line. This time, we are treated to Charlie's and Ash's story, and let me tell you, they are really cute together! As this book is set in an ongoing story in The Magi Account series, you probably want to read the other books first, as a lot of stuff won't make sense otherwise.

Almost the entire story is told through Charlie's POV, expect for the prologue, which is through Ash's eyes. Because of this, we get more insight into the shifter side of things, whereas the main story line focuses more on the mages side of things. That is not to say we don't get Ash's side of the story, his troubles and fears, because they are there as well.

Being a novella, there is not much action or questions answered. Instead, this story focuses more on the Pride house, its members and their time together. There are work days, but most of the story focuses on the relationship development between Ash and Charlie. They have to tackle their own fears and insecurities before there even be a start to their story and even when they finally get together, they have to work through some stuff in order to be happy. There is no cheating and Ash and Charlie are very sweet together, taking care of each other.
We get a lot of found family and how the Pride members take care of each other when they are home, building surprises for their youngest members, having dinner together and playing games. Of course, there is also Christmas to be celebrated, as well as Winter Solstice, making this a wonderful read for the holidays!

The epilogue kind of threw me off, because of the time skip. Sure, there are no spoilers, except a bit for Ash and Charlie, but it still felt strange because we are still in the middle of the main story line. Although it might be nice to know at least some characters are getting a HEA, because of the stuff Michele is putting us through in the main books ;)

I'm really looking forward to the next read in this series!

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I adore this series and all the characters and I am so happy that it's Charlie's turn now
Bur pleas be aware that is is no standalone. I don't think it makes a lot of sense without knowing the other books.

I loved Charlie before this book but here he is freaking adorable ... I hurt for him as he is not always accepted like he outside of his family.
The way Ash found his way into the family in the last book was due to painful experiences but I am so glad that he fits in
And both of them together are just perfect.

I also absolutely adored Mads ... he is such a wonderful character and I am so happy that we get to see him here.

On the whole it was maybe a bit too long but that is ok and I would have liked to see them.more in action ... but as it was, this is the perfect holiday book.
Charlie is a bit obsessed with Christmas ☺️

I can't wait to get Judes book ... and the next book with Mads and Cos.
But Jude is now necessary ... because ....

All in all a great addition to this series. I am so happy that I got to read it early.

An ARC was provided by GRR and I am happy to give my honest opinion

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! Charlie’s book!

I’ve loved Charlie’s character throughout the series and it was time for his HEA. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him ending up with Ash, but I loved them together. The story is told from Charlie’s POV, so we don’t get to know Ash as well as Charlie, but he’s sweet on Charlie and supports and encourages Charlie to unapologetically be himself. We love to see it! Especially after the d!cks Charlie has dated previously.

Most of the book is Charlie and Ash getting to know each other and dating, with a plot around Charlie trying to make sure everyone has the best Christmas/holiday season ever. I especially loved the Secret Santa element. It’s such a cute little story and I loved Charlie’s holiday enthusiasm. I think I loved this book so much because we get a lot of time with the pride spending time as family. We’ve been getting more of this with each book, but even more so with this novella, and from Charlie’s POV.

With Ash’s pretty horrific upbringing, I was afraid of trauma dumping, but have no fear! He has a very hard boundary around discussing his past and would rather focus on forging a future on his own terms. I’m so glad that Ash and his fellow mages in the house have found their way to such a loving and supportive pride and family. This book and it’s colorful cast are the very definition of found family.

Note that this is a companion novella and not a stand-alone. The overarching plot of the series is not really touched on in this book and it’s very much low angst and romantic. It’s definitely a nice little companion book for the series and I really appreciated getting Charlie’s POV. And the epilogue was really lovely. I am loving this series and can’t wait for the next book!

[Guardian.angel54 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was waiting and waiting for this book and, boy, did Michele Notaro deliver! Charlie and Ash's story is about as perfect as I had hoped it would be. Both characters have gone through terrible traumas in their lives. It's not an easy world they live in. However, both young men are survivors and both still cling to the hope - the desire - for someone who will, not only see them as they really are, but accept and love them. Ash - I just want to scoop him up and hug him! Charlie is the perfect amount of patience and understanding and it's his steadfast caring and sweet, goofy nature that finally break through Ash's fears. I love how the entire pride comes together to support and care for each other - whether they be shifter or mage or human. This series continues to completely blow me away and I literally live for each new book! I can't even give this enough stars or glowing recommendations but I will say with 100% assurity that you need to read these! I'm off to order my paperback copy of this to go with the rest in my collection and I know that I will treasure these for years to come! Simply wonderful!

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect gift for me to get given to read to get away from feeling overwhelmed by getting ready for Christmas and the snow coming. Having heard that it is a companion novel I wasn’t expecting it to be as long as it is. Nothing wrong with that because frankly the more I get of this group of characters the better. This book is as yummy and sweet as Christmas candy without all the calories. The overall story doesn’t progress much as this book mostly focuses on the lead up to the first Christmas that the Magi have ever celebrated. Lots of cooking, decorating, secret Santa and buying of presents. Charlie and Ash make such a lovely couple that with one kiss start looking at each other differently and the relationship progresses without too much angst.

You really need to have read the other books to get what is going on in this one. This book does makes some mention of what has happened to Ash and the other Magi but doesn’t go into the details the way the other books in this series do. It feels to me that Michele Notaro has given us a lovely little bonbon of a book as a treat. Thanks

[Gabbi Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun holiday romp (an audio review)

I’m loving Michele Notaro’s The Magi Accounts stories and this one was no exception. It’s Ash and Charlie’s story. A quiet love story that starts with a kiss under the Christmas Mistletoe and culminates in way more.

Ash has never really celebrated Christmas. On the Magi compound, such things were forbidden. He’s been exposed to a bit of the magic of the season, but never had a full-on Christmas. Charlie and the rest of his pride aim to change that. They’re dedicated to making the holidays the best ever – especially for the motley crew they’ve taken in since last Christmas.

Trust has never been Ash’s strength, but as he settles into the pride house – and falls in love with Charlie - all that changes.

This story has a bit of violence – as is befitting the series. It also has so many little touching moments. I won’t mention all of them, but I will say the Ash’s gift to Charlie left me a little teary. Throw in rescue animals and a huge house of love, and you’ve got a great story. So glad I listened.

Zachary Zaba is a fantastic narrator and he did a great job with this series. I’m so glad I listened.

[Lesetiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really like The Magi Accounts Series and enjoyed this Christmas story.
The writing style is wonderful as always and the world is described in detail. Unlike the other books in the series, there isn't quite as much suspense as before. But that doesn't matter, because there are still memories that cause panic attacks and flashbacks that remind us of a not-so-good time.
The magician Ash experiences Christmas and all its holiday traditions for the first time in years. This was not allowed in the abusive Magi Compound.
Ash and Charlie's story begins with a kiss under mistletoe and then develops into so much more. In the end, I found Ash's gift to Charlie very touching. Basically, the novella is humorous with a great Christmas and funny moments. In the series, it's a more lighthearted book and it fits perfectly for Christmas. An entertaining book that I listened to in one go.

Zachary Zaba narrated the audiobook and he did a good job. I could usually tell the voices of the protagonists apart, although I found that some were very similar.

[Nancy Lockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Charlie and Ash's story, and is best read to have read the prior books to better understand the story and the other characters. That said, I loved both Ash and Charlie. Ash is a Mage who was raised in the compound and has endured years of abuse from the guards there so he finds it hard to trust, and Charlie is a large lion shifter who is a bit Femme and enjoys wearing makeup as well as blouses and skirts. He is accepted by his Pride but other boyfriends have made him feel less than. These 2 start out as frenemies then friends until Ash volunteers to kiss Charlie under the mistletoe when it appears that no one else will. They each start to see each other a bit differently and realize how attracted they are to each other as people and physically. It is wonderful to see how their relationship progresses and they are each so sweet to each other. This is a wonderful, fluffy, holiday romance that was hard to put down. It was also great to see Cosmo and Madeo from other's points of view. I'm definitely looking forwards to the next installments in this series.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prologue of the story covers the mall collapse for which Mads and Jude were punished for saving shifter lives. And it briefly touches upon the Magi Maisy's death. But the majority of the action takes place in the several weeks leading to the Winter Solstice and Christmas.
Charlie and Ash, Lion and Magi, are extremely confident in their work for the TRD. But both men are supremely unconfident in their personal lives. Ash had led a typical Magi life, devoid of love and full of abuse. Char, who loves to feel pretty and has a strong femme side, has never been accepted by the men he dates. When the two kiss under the mistletoe, there's electricity. But both are hesitant to pursue the feeling.
When they finally get together, their relationship is quite hot, very sweet and has a touch of angsty sadness. It was quite enjoyable watching the two form a caring and healing relationship. And the support of family and friends was wonderful.
With only another novella and a full story to go, this series will be done. It will definitely be something I reread again.