Jax Cassidy

Merry and Bright, a Christmas anthology from the Nocturne Falls Kindle world.

9 short holiday novellas by the same authors and storylines in the Nocturne Falls Kindle world.
Several of the stories revisit couples from previous stories in the kindle world. Christmas celebrations that include heart and misty eyes. To fully appreciate these short stories, you should read the associated Kindle world books by each author. It can be read as a standalone but you won’t appreciate the relationships.
My two favorite first:

The Meddlesome Misadventures of Merry and Bright by Alethea Kontis
A young adult beginning of friendship, pranks and magic. To adulthood and life. This author is becoming one of my favorites. A short quote from the book: “She brightened up again, like sunshine on snow”.

Magic’s Frost by Sela Carson
A new romance. A bit of humor. Fun and flirty. A slightly older couple. Adorable.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Alien by Fiona Roarke
The next chapter in “aliens come to Nocturne Falls”, revisit with one of the couples.

The Wizard’s Mistletoe Magic by Jax Cassidy
Fae, attraction, memories and finding a lost love.

The Dragon’s Christmas Mayham by Kira Nyte
Dragons trying to create a Christmas experience while their mates keep their own secrets.

The Mistletoe Misshap by Wynter Daniels
A romance ended because of family pressure. Hope restarts it. I liked this short romance. He wants to protect her and what says love more than that?

The Psychic Says I Do by Candace Colt
A wedding or two for the Falcon brothers.

The Sorcerer’s Christmas Miracle by Cate Dean

The Witch’s Snow Globe Wish by Larissa Emerald
A mis-delivered letter reconnects a couple for a second chance at love.… (más)

Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I hate giving this only three stars, but I must. I have been wanting to read this since it first came out. I just finished it and was left completly underwhelmed.

Machiko Barret was a three year old art prodigy, who at the age of 13, left the art scene in what appears to have been either a fit of teenage rage and rebellion, or possibly due to a mental illness. Throughout the book,I am never quite certian that there wasn't some mental illness involved.

She ends up at her employer's beach house...after working for 9 years as an aupair...nanny for Luc Delacroix, a man with a lot of connections. Mac, as Caleb, the man she becomes invlolved with calls her, has come to the beach house to decide whether or not to do some paintings for an art show opening arranged by Luc.

Since leaving the art world 15 years earlier, Mac has not painted...or has she? I ended up confused, since Luc discovers Mac's paintings in his daughters closet. Are those paintings from when she was younger, or are they new paintings? I'm never quite clear on that answer...and therein lies why this book is merely okay to me. It is very confusing.

We never quite find out what caused the major rage at the age of 13, and to be honest, when she does it again as an adult, I am still uncertain just what caused it.

When Caleb meets Mac on the beach, they end up getting involved a short time thereafter in a sexual relationship. Caleb wants Mac to know she can trust him...she demands he allow her to shave all his hair off. WHAT?! How does this indicate trust? I don't get it. They are not in a permanant relationship at this point and his agreeing to this makes no sense to me.

There is much more to why I just could not like this book. So sad, I wanted to LOVE this book. I truly did. I think strong, independent Asian women heroines are missing from literature. I'm sorry, this book does nothing to promote a strong, independent woman. It feels like we are left with an undiagnoised mental disorder, that involves fits of rage which could prove deadly to someone else if not kept in check.

Despite this rating, I still look foreward to reading more by Ms. Cassidy.… (más)

I love to read. I tell people that I will read just about anything! Part of the allure of reading different books in differing genres, at least for me, is the range of feelings these books evoke from me. Reading “The Art of Sensuality” by Jax Cassidy brought a mélange of feelings out in me. The author’s style is very languid and dreamy which complements the feelings of her characters.

Machiko, or Mac, was a famous child prodigy artist until she had a nervous breakdown at the ripe old age of 13. She hasn’t painted since…until now. After 9 long years of denying herself, she’s slowing emerging from her self-imposed isolation. But something is still missing and try as she might, she just can’t seem to identify what it is. Her pain and fears as she tiptoes from her hiding place are at times overwhelming and this comes through with an almost visceral reaction in the reader.

Caleb is a very successful businessman and art enthusiast. He is strongly drawn, almost against his will, to Mac. He’s not sure why as she is at times, unkind, unwelcoming, and unfriendly. BUT, she can’t help but respond to him; and seems to resent him all the more for it. He’s confused, attracted, and angry, but always lustful.

As the two grow closer, secrets are revealed and each becomes better able to understand and accept the actions of the other. But there are many obstacles in their way. From the agony of artistic expression to the pasts neither one has quite managed to let go, they are tested. Will they be able to forgive and forge a new future?

Cassidy’s writing is often lyrical, sometimes confusing, and always sensual. Very like the stages of the relationship between these two characters. Without the growth of both individuals, and the help of some ably-drawn secondary characters, a relationship would be impossible. And this process is well depicted through an almost visual dialogue.

If you are looking for a sweet story with a trademark plot and little angst, this is not the book for you. If you want to travel through a relationship that deals with the vagaries of human nature and relationships, along with a VERY healthy dose of sensuous erotica, then don’t hesitate to buy this book.… (más)

"The Lotus Blossom Chronicles" contains two stories about enduring through hardship and finding love.

"Siren's Seduction" by Jax Cassidy is a contemporary story with a very lush, dreamy quality. The author's writing is rich, lyrical, and dripping with sensuality. It's a softer erotica than most of that found in the market today and brings together an interesting mix of Asian and African-American characters. Niko and Dove are both lonely souls, having suffered deep losses ealier in their lives. Niko lost his wife and future child, and Dove her sister. Niko searched out Dove to pass on some horrible news, but he is distracted by her beauty and stunned to find himself so attracted to her. These two manage are drawn and build a relationship, but an angry figure from Dove's past and Niko's secret will put their love to the test.

"Concubine" by Simone Harlow is a futuristic story set in Africa. Harlow's writing is grittier and more openly erotic, and her characters definitely heat up the reading experience! Nyssa lost her husband, the king, to the king's demented first daughter who spared her life and turned her into a bounty hunter. Nyssa lives to gain an opportunity to catch a glimpse of her daughter who now lives with the queen as her heir. When the queen offers Nyssa a chance to regain her daughter with a terrible bargain, Nyssa still jumps at the chance. The queen's concubine has escaped and Nyssa must hunt him down and return him to the queen. While Nyssa will do anything to save her daughter, can she live with herself if she condemns a man to the life she once had? And when she meets Asad, the choices become more difficult when he draws from her lusts and feelings like she's never felt before.

This is a book with two very different stories, both based on the rebirth symbolism of the lotus flower. I enjoyed both stories and will be interested to see what's next from these authors.… (más)