Fair warning, The Nightmare Before Kissmas will result in premature holiday decorating if read outside the Halloween/Christmas season. You will fall in love with the Princes of Christmas and Halloween as well as their love for their holidays. Quite simply, this book is an absolute delight. I don’t know the last time I smiled or giggled as much as I did while reading this book. I have to say bravo Raasch - you’ve simultaneously given me a new favorite romance book and new favorite comfort holiday read. I challenge anyone to read this and not adore Cole’s character. In general, this book really shines with the characters. I loved the friendship trio of Cole, Kris, and Iris. Hex is a Halloween delight, and I am obsessed with how he uses his holiday to mess with Kris. Be prepared for one liners that absolutely sleigh and great pop culture references. Despite the cozy nature of the read, it deals with some surprisingly heavy topics surrounding abandonment and grief. I both eyeball and audiobook read this and hands down can’t recommend the audiobook enough. Ellis Evans nails the narration. You can fully feel Coal’s anxiety, stress, excitement, and every other emotion experienced throughout the book with Evan’s excellent narration. I also felt that it made the story really come to life and added an extra level to some of the truly fantastic puns. Again, I can’t recommend this story and especially the audiobook enough.

if you're somehow put-off by the cheesy title or the cover art, please don't let either fool you. this was so so fun. i hesitate to compare this to anything because i'm not sure if i've read anything exactly like this, but i think if you threw christmas and halloween magic into a blender with red, white, and royal blue by casey mcquiston, you'd have something like this book.

so, what is it: a prince of christmas (and successor to the one, the only santa claus) named coal is kind of a fuck-up. he reads a letter from a kid making a plea about a parent's lost job, then grants the wishes for a LOT of kids at once which caused problems - overinflation in that country but also the loss of a big chunk of christmas magic. as a result, his dominating, controlling father arranges for him to marry a daughter of easter without his consent and puts on a sham public "competition" for her hand with the son of halloween, hex, who... once kissed coal outside of a bar and has been on coal's mind ever since.

what you will get from this without expecting it: a large chunk of this book is a commentary on capitalism. there's a lot of discussion of christmas becoming expansive and how ultimately it cheapens the meaning of the holiday. christmas also manipulates and is funded by the holiday joy of others and plans to steal more power, a replication of corporate greed.

for me, i think it was really interesting that this was included but... it was written with no commentary about religion at all, which seems strange given christian imperialism is to blame for the expansiveness of christmas and when two of the three main holidays discussed within this book are christmas and easter vying for global power, the exclusion seems strange. but i also realize that, at its crux, this is supposed to be a romcom. i just don't think you can have nuanced conversations about capitalist holidays without also discussing the toxic religious push. and, as other reviews have mentioned, non-western holidays weren't mentioned at ALL. which felt weird.

since this seems (according to goodreads) to be book one in a series, i'm interested to see where the plot will go from here. i think this is a fun read with a cute romance, just some of the political commentary didn't work for me.

Thank you to Tor, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in advance.

This one is actually lived up to the Red, White & Royal Blue comparison.

Coal is the hottest of hot messes. Outwardly he’s a total disaster but his heart is in the right place. His father is very power hungry and has lost sight of their original goals as the stewards of Christmas. He decides to dump an arranged marriage on Coal and the Princess of Easter, Iris, and they both about throw up on the stage. Young love.

There are two love stories in this. Only one is romantic love. I loved how genuinely these brothers love each other. Kris and Nicholas were allies and friends - best friends - and the plot never makes us second guess them.

Coal ends up hooking up with the Prince of Halloween and that goth baby was a dream. The two of them were very sweet together and this book was so fun. I’m excited that the series is continuing.

There are no words that could possibly describe how much I enjoyed this book with my whole heart. I spent ever spare second of my day reading it. It was impossible to put down because I had to know what was going to happen next. There were several times I found myself laughing at the silly puns and jokes. But I was also on the verge of tears a couple times as well. The HEA at the end made all of it worth it.

Originally I had wanted to have this book be my book clubs October read. However, after reading it and discovering that the majority of the book takes place at the Christmas palace. I think it best saved for late November or early December as it will immediately put everyone in the holiday spirit. I absolutely will not be able to wait that long to listen to the audio book and will need to purchase it as soon as it comes out. I can only imagine how much more amazing it will be to get to hear it as well. I will definitely be rereading this every December and I will be recommending it to everyone I know. Not just romance readers.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ of 5 Overall
🌶🌶.5 of 5 on the spicy scale (one open door scene and several other farther then make-out scenes)
☕☕☕☕☕ of 5 on the cozy scale (it takes place at Christmas!!!! Its the ultimate cozy rom-com)
🧁🧁🧁🧁 of 5 on the sweetness scale (very sticky-sweet with just enough tragic backstory to make it relatable)

Sara Raasch has written such a fun book here. The vibes are immaculate. The banter is bantering. God I love our main characters.

This hilarious and sweet holiday rom-com is everything you didn't realize you were missing!

Read this if you like:
✦ Holiday Romance
✦ Slow Burn
✦ MM Romance
✦ Forbidden Lovers
✦ Enemies-to-Lovers
✦ Opposites Attract

┈ MY THOUGHTS ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
- This book was such a delight! I was so unexpectedly impressed by this author (whom I've never read from) and her unique, thoughtful, engrossing story!
- OMG! Coal and Hex are so fucking adorable together 😭
- The magically generated Halloween toys appearing whenever Hex swears are hilarious! I can't even imagine thinking up something like that, it's such a unique and fun quirk to think of the Halloween magic manifesting in such a way.
- I can't wait to read Kris's story!! I'm a little bit sad that Iris doesn't reciprocate Kris's feelings because they would've been soooo cute together.
- Positives: This entire book was so witty and fun, with suspense, angst, and such a sweet sweet romance between the two MMCs.
- Negatives: Honestly, none. I can't think of a single thing I disliked about this book. The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is because I don't see myself reading it again but other than that, it really was amazing!
- Overall: DO NOT HESITATE TO READ THIS!! This is the perfect holiday romance and will blow all of your expectations out of the water!

"I kiss him again, a clumsy layering over of our smiles, and we're laughing and this, here, is my victory. He is my spoil of war, the most vital piece in my new-forming foundation. Joy creates magic. I have never believed that more than with him".


┈ OVERVIEW ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
Emojis: 🎄🎅❄🎃🦇👻
Pacing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Overall:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Format: eBook
POV: One 🎅
Would I Recommend? 👍
Read Again? 👎
Setting / Location: The North Pole
Hero/MMC: Nicholas Claus
〰️Characteristics: Orange hair, tall
〰️Occupation: Prince of Christmas
〰️Age: 22
〰️Nickname(s): Coal
Hero/MMC: Hex Hallow
〰️Characteristics: Dark hair, fair skin
〰️Occupation: Prince of Halloween
〰️Age: N/A
〰️Nickname(s): Sweetheart
H/h virgin? No
First kiss💋: pg19 / 5%
First time they have sex: pg264 / 76%
First time they say "I Love You": pg284 / 82%
Noteworthy Chapters🔥: 12, 16, 22
Kinks: praise
OW/OM Drama? A little bit with the marriage competition
H/h cheat? No
Time apart? A couple of days
Did I cry? No
Ending: HEA 🥰
Standalone/Series? Yes to both
Epilogue? No

⛔️ My reviews can sometimes contain spoilers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sara Raasch, and Tor Publishing Group for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Who knew we needed a mashup of Jack Skellingtom and Red, White and Royal blue? This is a holiday must with Magic and love in the happiest time of year.

What I really loved about this book: queer representation and romance, cozy magical world, royalty, and a rival trope! All in all, it was a fun read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bramble for the chance to read this early in exchange for my honest review!

I have been highly anticipating this read since I saw its announcement a few months ago. A Nightmare before Christmas meets Red, White, & Royal Blue? Count me in! I have to say that this book did not disappoint.

Prince Nicholas, the Christmas Prince, is a bit of a goofball. He doesn’t seem to take too much seriously but we quickly learn that this is his way of coping with the fact that his mom left him and his brother Kris when they were children along with dealing with the impending sense of responsibility he has when he is eventually the reigning Santa. After a mid-year Christmas blunder of epic proportions, Prince Nicholas, or Coal, realizes that his antics can come at quite a high price – and the cost of that is joy. The royal Holidays measure their success in Joy and Christmas has quickly monopolized the market of joy from other winter holidays. Coal, after his huge blunder, seeks solace at his favorite bar where nobody really knows who he is. Except, he meets a handsome stranger in the alley behind the bar and this stranger leaves a huge impression on him for years to come. Before we know it, two years have gone by without Coal’s typical antics. He has vowed to be a different person. Until he realizes that his handsome stranger is none other than the Prince of Halloween, Prince Hex. Now, they must “compete” for a marriage to the Princess of Easter, Princess Iris. But Iris is good friends with Coal and the last thing any of them want to do is consider marriage to the other. But Prince Hex is resigned to stay at the Christmas Castle and of course, Coal cannot stay away from Hex once he realizes who Hex is and the kind of impact Hex left on him after just one brief meeting years ago.

This book was so much better than I could have imagined. It had politics (the monopolization of joy, a coup, and other Coal like shenanigans that you come to expect and even love). It was raw, with Prince Hex and Prince Nicholas (Coal) experiencing their own forms of trauma that they must heal from. The chemistry between Coal and Hex is palpable and honestly, so very sweet. The relationship between them developed slowly (as slowly as it can over the course of one month) and there wasn’t spice just for the sake of spice (which I really loved).

Kris and Iris even leave an impression on the reader and make you curious as to what their story is or will be. I love Coal and Hex so much for their very different personalities and how they balance each other out perfectly. This is the perfect holiday romance in every aspect. The imagery is so vivid that I felt like I was in the book myself. Truly one of my favorite romance reads of the year!

This checked boxes for me that I didn't even know I had in regards to Christmas romances. The world building was lots of fun and now I want to see what other Holiday courts are like. Coal and Hex were such well rounded characters and I loved spending time with them. It was the perfect read for Christmas in July.

Cue the holiday music, hang the mistletoe, and get out your favorite ugly Christmas sweater. This is a book best read around Halloween/Christmas. It's super niche and silly and while I did enjoy it in July, I so wished I would have been curled up next to the tree sipping on a hot cocoa while I read!!

Banter, magic, holidays as kingdoms, joy running the world, and some hidden secrets. This is a spicy rom com that will make you smile. The holiday royalty idea seemed a little weird at first but you will be totally on board by the end of the book! (I know I was, just go with it.)

Perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Ali Hazelwood. Sara Raasch writes a great rom com and it's no surprise because I loved her fantasy novels as well!

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to enjoy!

Nicholas “Coal” Claus, once a devoted lover of Christmas, has grown disillusioned with the holiday, thanks to his father turning it into a holiday to hawk cheap plastic. As the heir to Christmas, he is summoned to fulfill his obligations to marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess, who is the object of his brother’s affection. Soon, a rival contender, Hex, the Prince of Halloween, challenges Coal for Iris's hand in marriage. The two holiday princes are irresistibly drawn to each other despite the pretense of their rivalry.

The novel shines with its witty dialogue and sizzling chemistry between Coal and Hex. Coal’s internal struggle with his duty versus his true desire makes his journey engaging. The author masterfully blends humor, romance, and a touch of holiday magic to create an emotional and heartwarming story.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing, Bramble.

When books say they are like RWARB, that's usually code for 'it's gay' and has nothing to do with it. But this is actually like RWARB. It so quickly had that same special sauce. I adored Coal, his need to do something right. Santa was a perfect antagonist, right up until he finally saw the man he'd become. The open ending question of Kris and Iris (If I'm pretending I didn't read the preview of the next one- which I can not wait for) left me wanting more. The world of the holiday royalty was so interesting, I can not wait to revisit it.

thank you to netgalley and tor publishing group for this eARC!

i really liked this book! i read the description initially on netgalley and was super interested in the premise and desperately wanted to read it. so you can imagine my excitement when my request was approved, and i was not let down by this book. the characters were adorable and complex and i loved all of their interactions. the world that raasch built out is incredibly interesting as well. beyond the characters’ interactions, the interactions of the different holidays and seasons was really fascinating to me. it was really fun to read! i think maybe my only critique is that the romance felt a bit rushed. as an idea, a time crunch is very appealing for the plot and it definitely has some good pay offs, but it was a little hard for me to believe these two people, who had essentially just met, fell in love in that short amount of time. i think for me it would have played better if there had been more of a break between hex leaving and when he came back. it would have given a bit more weight to coal’s decision to carry on with his “coup” as well. despite that though, i definitely really enjoyed this book and will 100% be recommending this when halloween and christmas come around! i’m excited to see and continue reading whatever is next for this universe!

I haven't stayed up past my bedtime to read a book in such a long time, but this one had me hooked from the beginning! It's a mug of hot cocoa on a snow day, a cup of cider while wandering cold streets illuminated by Jack-o-Lanterns. It's cozy and romantic and everything I love in a romance novel!

This was very much not for me, but I can see the appeal of this book for other readers. As a longtime fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, I was excited about the concept of a romcom that plays on the idea of holiday kingdoms, but the execution unfortunately did not deliver. This novel primarily suffers from the simplistic writing style, and I will echo other reviewers' critiques of the balance between the romantic and political aspects of the story: the author could not seem to find a good middle ground for delivering these ideas. Furthermore, the characters felt rather one-dimensional despite the attempts at fleshing out backstories for each.

This book has also been incessantly compared to Red, White, & Royal Blue, so I was expecting at least a comparable mastery of the romcom formula found in McQuiston's works. I cannot say that I found that in this novel.

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy. To be honest, I thought this was kind of a boring romance and I wasn't invested in any of the characters. The holiday politics were amusing.

This was just as whimsical and funny as I thought it would be! These two were such lovable train wrecks, I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Extremely cute book that any romance lover would enjoy. Fun characters and interesting plot move the story along. Great read for either holiday season!

This was a lot of fun to read it’d like a cozy romance with magic and kinda mythical characters lol. So in this world the mc Coal is a prince of Christmas because his dad is Santa. Each holiday is a kingdom I guess so Hex the love interest is the prince of Halloween. One of the side characters is the princess of Easter and it’s interesting, a bit silly but fun. He and Coal meet each other again while going along with an arranged fake relationship/ marriage plan that the mc’s dad planned.

As Coal and Hex spend time with others, they are attracted to each other and also discuss themes like grief, anxiety and joy during holidays etc. Coal’s dad Santa kinda sucks and is going a while lot of things that are sucking the joy out of holidays. I enjoyed the romance it was good I thought they had chemistry, history and cute moments. I thought the writing was charming with all the things each character did relating to the holiday they represented.
This book is similar to red white and royal blue the show( not the book). There were lots of parallels with scenes and characters that I liked. There’s a bit of steam but not too much. Overall this light and fun queer romance read especially for fall. Thank you Bramble for this arc for an honest review.

Read for:
- Queer romance
- Bisexual mc
- Holiday themed plot
- Magic
- Fantasy
- Rival holiday princes
- Royalty