An Embrace to Hearten Me, The Magi Accounts #3.5 by Michele Notaro

Can three best friends that love each other overcome their fears and risk their friendships for something more? There is nothing more romantic than a sweet magi, a generous cheetah shifter and a caring snow leopard shifter, finally realizing their shared commitment to love forever. An Embrace to Hearten me is part of The Magi Accounts series.

From the blurb:

I can’t seem to choose between the two shifters who mean the world to me… but what if I can have them both?

Trying to navigate my feelings has never been easy. Growing up, I had to keep my emotions locked down and hidden from the world or suffer the consequences. But now, well, now I’ve had a taste of freedom, and with it, my heart has been running wild.

Between trying to find witches—members of the Red Cloth—at work and sifting through my overwhelming emotions, I’m a mess. And two certain shifters seem happy to help sort me out, which is great, but it’s making all these feelings hit me at once.

How in the world can I tell River and Kulani that I… that I like them? Both of them. At the same time. This is going to end in disaster with one, two, or three hearts broken. But what if it doesn’t? What if there’s a way for all three of us to get what we want?

An Embrace To Hearten Me is a MMX (male/male/nonbinary) urban fantasy romance companion novel meant to be read AFTER A Purpose That Restores Us (The Magi Accounts 3). This is Jude, Kulani, and River’s story and takes place between books 3 and 4 of the main series. It’s meant to be read as part of the series, not by itself, although the love story is resolved in this book.

SNik's Review:

#3.5 in series (The Magi Accounts), must be read in order. Paranormal. Poly. Hurt/comfort. Found family. Slow burn. Multiple POV. 

Jude hasn’t felt romantic attraction for years, but now he is crushing on both of his shifter friends, but there is no way to pick just one to pursue and he refuses to risk his friendships with River and Kulani. Luckily River and Kulani also feel the pull to be close to Jude, and each other, although it takes time and patience for the triad to communicate their feelings and discuss how they want their relationship to work as a throuple. 

This story is mainly about the pining and closeness of Jude, River and Kulani and how all their individual feelings and wants align, the friendship evolving into something meaningful and necessary to all three of them. 

As usual, Mads and Cosmo are supportive, there is a lot of comfort and caring between the romantic partners as well as from the pride members, and some emotional scenes where the characters work to overcome past traumas with the help of their partners. 

Everything about the Ono-Nai pride is a beautiful read, in that it is a family that is loving and generous and enables another fulfilling relationship for some of its members.

Rating: 4.25 Stars

Miki J's Review:

This is a tale of serious pining… and more pining…. so much pining it was frustrating!!! Gah… I love the characters and in this book and I love that we get to know both River and Kulani a lot more– especially how they came to be part of the clan.  

While all of that pining is going on… there’s the usual fun and shenanigans in the house… Mads is hilarious, especially when blinded with…. bahahahahahaha!!  

There are highs and lows–I was bawling my eyes out when they were finishing up their “mission”. Really had to put the book down. And the ending–perfection!! **chefs kiss**  

Definitely need to read these novellas in order - great series.

Rating: 4 Stars

An Embrace to Hearten Me is available to buy as an ebook