✨ Review ✨ The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch; Narrated by Ellis Evans

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, Tor/Bramble, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copies of this book!

This promised Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas and it totally delivered on that (though maybe with more Christmas vibes than Halloween ones).

This book throws together Nicholas “Coal” Claus, son of Santa and Prince of Christmas, with Hex, the Prince of Halloween, in a staged battle for the princess of Easter (who is also Coal's bff). The tension between Coal and Hex sizzles as they compete in a reindeer race, drink hot cocoa, and show up to a variety of holiday activities.

In addition to the holiday vibes and super silly details (e.g. when Hex swears, Halloween-themed items appear near him lol), this book is filled with fun hijinks and serious reflection about the meaning and importance of holidays. When Coal realizes his dad is selling out the good things about Christmas to gain power, he digs deep in critiquing the capitalism and lack of authenticity in the holiday.

The book exists in a world split between a real world we'd recognize and a fantasy world populated by the holidays of the world, which admittedly was a little jarring sometimes. Coal's inner monologue also felt a bit repetitive, but in a way that's probably consistent with a lot of new adult books. Overall though this was tons of fun and perfect for the fall or winter seasons!

🎧 I loved the audio narration - he did distinctly different voices with very different feels for each of the main characters (so much so I didn't realize it wasn't two narrators!). It was the perfect sort of audiobook to lose yourself in!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.25)
Genre: m/m contemporary and fantasy romance; new adult
Setting: New Haven and the North Pole
Length: 12 hours 23 minutes
Reminds me of: Red White and Royal Blue
Pub Date: October 8, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Christmas and Halloween
⭕️ angsty 20-somethings
⭕️ prince + prince romance
⭕️ pumpkins and reindeer

WOW

I am just in awe of this. I seriously love all things Halloween. I mean as a fall baby I thrive come October, but this even with its moments of Christmas joy did not make me feel like I was eating tinsel and pine needles.

Coal was so relatable to watch, when you're an anxious ball anyways one mistake stays with you forever. I loved how I was rooting for him even as a screw up, granted I wasn't sure in what ways he was a total screw up but I ran with it anyways. I think the mysteriousness of Hex was so appealing and really leaned into the whole Halloween vibe.

I think the festivities and humor throughout this gave off authentic vibes that can be so hard to represent to people who aren't wild about specific holidays. I was engrossed in this from the start and would happily read about every holiday there is because this gave me mad The Guardians vibes. IYKYK.

I cannot thank Sara Raasch, Netgalley, and Tor Publishing for my advanced copy for an honest unpaid review. 4.5/5 stars rounded up!

This book is so cute! The son/heir of the Christmas royal family (think holidays run like big family corporations) is kind of a mess. Cole is stressed out all the time because of the positions his father has forced him into in school and life because of his future - and now that includes an arranged marriage to the daughter of the Easter family, whether or not either of them wants it. Enter the Halloween prince- the one who got away. Hex has his own reasons for being around, and his presence starts to unravel the lies around Cole. The two of them have an adorable push-pull relationship and are so much fun, as are Kris, Iris, and the various staff at Cole's home. I found this book a joyful companion for my recent waiting room experience.

I dnf'd around 8% in. The characters read like young teens and were really annoying. The writing was also too overly descriptive.

"those two words set off a roll of percussion that shakes down to the pit of my gut, a reverberation that could make a fortune doing ASMR."

This was the anti-capitalist Holiday read that my brain and heart desperately needed.

Although the punny title and cover makes it seem a lot more childish and lighthearted, this romance is definitely a lot more than that and I hope readers can look past.

It has well written dialogue that knows when to pace out exposition but make it entertaining as it does so.

Coal is just such a relatable and my gosh, characters who actually COMMUNICATE. It's so refreshing to read a romance where the dialogue is so real and yet well-structured to push the narrative forward.

I also found myself really enjoying the royalty like structure of the various Holidays' courts. Kind of gave the book a bit of political intrigue.

A fast-paced political intrigue! The relationship moved a little fast for me, but overall their banter and support of each other (though messy in the middle) was really satisfying to read!

I knew that this book would be fun, but I had no idea that it would be so much more than that! There is depth and there are high stakes, meaningful romantic developments, and complications. The complications aren't simply hijinks--although hijinks abound--but they are actually deeply complicated. The commercialization and hyper consumption that increasingly characterize traditional Western holidays is treated delicately without dashing the seasonality of the read. On that note, my friends have implored "but is it more Halloween or more Christmas--when should I read it", and honestly: I don't think it matters. Even with the holiday royalty setting, the book remains relevant with a beautiful romance to boot. I'm a fan, and I can't wait for the next installment.

They were so right when they said this book has Red White and Royal Blue vibes. For a book about the Princes of Christmas and Halloween, it wasn’t SUPER magical. Magic is there but in smaller ways. It was more about the setting than overtly using magic all the time, which I actually liked. It gave the book a more magical realism feel, which I loved.

This book was so sweet. It had some really endearing moments that I just really loved. It also surprised me pleasantly with the level of spice, something I’m always happy is given as I feel it gives the connections so much more depth!

If you enjoyed Red White and Royal Blue, and were a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas growing up (again this is more vibe not a retelling or anything) definitely give this book a read! I loved it!

3.5 stars rounded up to four.

The concept of this book was super fun: Halloween prince X Christmas prince and I was expecting a jolly little romcom romp. What I actually got was a book steeped in anti-capitalism with plenty of swoon-worthy romance and general Christmassy silliness. I did enjoy myself but I would have preferred if it had leant into the romcom elements a little more as it felt a touch insta-love and lacked any kind of yearning or will they/won't they.

I really liked Coal as a character, he felt very well developed and flawed in a way that felt natural. I would have liked to see a little more of Halloween and where Hex came from. In a way, I think this story could have benefitted from being dual POV.

Overall, a fun, festive read that will have you giggling and kicking your feet.

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE KISSMAS is a queer holiday romantasy and probably the most fun i've ever had reading a holiday romance. it follows coal, the prince of christmas, as he competes with hex, the handsome and mysterious prince of halloween, to win a betrothal to iris, the princess of easter. except... it's all a PR stunt coordinated by his dad, the reigning santa, coal doesn't have feeling for iris, and oh, yeah, he's falling for hex.

if that sounds wild, it's because it absolutely is but in the best way ever and i had such a good time reading the book. the concept of holidays as magical kingdoms with alliances, betrayals, and revolutions is so creative!! i would read a thousand more books in this universe about the chaotic shenanigans of the heirs to the holidays (and good thing too because book 2 is coming out in march!).

read if you like:
- rwrb but magical
- christmas puns
- campy holiday fun

thanks to netgalley and bramble for the advanced copy!

3.5⭐️

This is a cute holiday centered romance. Perfect for fall/winter as our leads are part of the Halloween/Christmas “courts”. I was pleasantly surprised too with the way that this book dealt with themes of grief from losing a loved one to a parent leaving with no explanation - the author did a good job in exploring how this manifests differently for everyone and the ripple effects those behaviors can have on everyone around you.

Our two MMCs and their chemistry was well done. There was a lot of consent and conversation on page between them which is always great to see. I like too that the romance though there was an instant connection the characters moved more slowly and it felt more natural. Similarly the main conflict between the two felt natural - the push/pull of family and a sense of duty alongside a romance that seems that it will be impossible to overcome the roadblocks for.

I liked how much Coal grew throughout the book, we see a lot of changes from when we initially meet him at what might be his worst and all that he learns and gains from that experience and wanting to do better. I think overall there’s a lot of good character growth overall.

I’m giving this one a 3.5⭐️ because there was something about the writing that just at times felt clunky and not super well developed. I have a hard time articulating what the issues were but it just wasn’t right (for me) at times.

This did feel very reminiscent of Red, White, and Royal Blue so I think if you liked that you’ll enjoy this one as well. Overall, I enjoyed this one and would recommend if you’re looking for a cute romance novel as we enter into the autumn/winter holidays!

Thank you to Bramble and the author for an ARC of the book. All of the above thoughts are my own!

nicholas “coal” claus loved christmas until his father, the reigning santa, turned it into a PR façade. now, he’ll do anything to escape the spectacle, even if that means drunkenly making out with a stranger behind a bar. as the heir of christmas, though, he has certain responsibilities…such as being told he will marry his best friend/his brother’s crush, the easter princess iris. even worse, a rival challenges coal for iris’s hand…and coal finally gets to put a name to the face he made out with: hex, the prince of halloween. although both of them want each other more than they want the marriage of convenience with iris, they have to keep up the fake competition for appearances.

as a lifelong fan of the nightmare before christmas, i had to add this book to my tbr as soon as i heard its title. i do think it was a fair comparison due to different holidays playing an integral part in this book. i also loved coal and hex. this is told through coal’s pov, so we got to know him more, but i still loved getting to know hex through coal’s viewpoint. they were both interesting, complex characters, and i liked seeing their character growth and relationship development throughout the story.

overall, this was a fun (though serious at times) romance novel with fantastical elements. i would highly recommend it, and i can’t wait for book two!

What a cute book!!
At first it started off a little slow for me but once I got more into It I ate it up 🤭🤍

I loved the main characters Coal & Hex they were both so lovable and just the sweetest. The banter was perfect and I found myself laughing during many parts of this story.

I highly recommend this one!! It’s a light read perfect for the holidays ❤️🖤

I can’t wait to read book 2 ~

Thank you for the ARC!

A 3.5 star read downgraded to a 3 star read for me.

So here's the good: this book gave definite Red, White & Royal Blue vibes with two feuding Princes- the Prince of Christmas and The Prince of Halloween- who end up falling in love. The chemistry between the Princes was electric and there were a lot of seriously steamy scenes. One of my favourite parts of the book was a group text thread that had very funny and pun-y inappropriate holiday related titles. There was definitely a lot of humour in this book as well.

What didn't quite work for me was the premise of Holiday Families and them forming alliances and all the Holiday Politics and what this exactly meant- this book is a little outside of my regular wheelhouse and it's possible I didn't fully understand it. Further, it felt like this book was marketed as YA but the spice scenes are definitely meant for an older audience.

Overall, it was a fun queer romance, and the good news is that if you enjoyed it there is going to be a sequel! Thank you Netgalley and Tor for the opportunity to review an earc of this holiday mashup romance.

The synopsis of this intrigued me a while ago and I’m so glad I was able to get a copy of this before release day to post about it! This book has some of the best humor (puns) and some really hilarious wordplay. The romcom side of this story is so heartfelt and joyful and I love every second of it.

This story is a lot of things. It is like a tootsie pop. If you keep licking you eventually find something else underneath. (I feel like Coal would appreciate this type of humor). Hidden under that romcom is a deeper story about the meaning of Christmas and how it has become very much commercialized and all about things, instead of family and love. Raasch is able to weave into all of this a tale of overcoming grief that will punch you in the gut while your guard is down laughing at one of of Coal’s jokes.

“Joy can come from grief. From pain. From fear.”

This concept is ever present in the story and I felt this hard seeing how some characters were coping (or not) with the loss of someone in their lives. This is possibly the best romcom I have ever read (okay, okay, I’ve only read two but still). You’ll love this if you love the holidays at all, love a good romcom good (bad) humor and if you aren’t a total grinch.

Also, if you can, listen to the brilliantly narrated audiobook for this. Evans does a fantastic job voice this cast of characters, making it easy to distinguish between the voices.

Thank you to @brambleromance for my copy of the book. Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

This book was absolutely adorable!! I was sold from the tagline RWARB meets Nightmare Before Christmas and it did not disappoint. Are they the same, no. However they have the same vibe: optimism, hope, spice, fun, figuring out who your true self is and being braver than you think you are.

It is fun, addictive and perfect for the spooky/holidays seasons. The group texts were so fun. All characters have depth, emotions and dang if the romance well written! The romance was a huge aspect for both mains and the spicy scenes reflected that including lots of talk about communicated and consent. Lots of growth in the characters as well but especially both our MMCs. I liked learning about the seasons politics and how some of their individual magic works.

Overall this book brought exactly what its magic runs on: joy!

Thank you to Tor Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of The Nightmare Before Kissmas.

I selected this book because of the cover so I had no real expectations going in. Halloween and Christmas are my two favourite holidays so how could I not read this book. This book is so much more than a romance book, as I kept reading it I kept cheering on Coal, Hex, Kris and Iris. This was such an interesting spin on classic holidays that I never thought I needed but clearly I did.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

This is definitely those two mixed. I loved the son of Santa and prince of Halloween as a forbidden romance especially when Santa wanted his son to marry into Easter.
Loved the power politics in usurping joy and how Coal came into his own after being the black sheep for so long. Loved Hex and the description of his outfits, those corset vests are hot, so I get it.
Lots of conflict and expectations and it did get steamy. They didn’t have much alone time. Santa was a bit scary in this one in his grief and heartache. Luckily I think his boys reached him before it was too late. Can’t wait for the next one!

This was a cute and fun holiday read!

In this world, holidays are run by individual families with Christmas reigning supreme. Nicholas’s (aka Coal) family is in charge of Christmas and he is next in line to be Santa. Unfortunately, his life has been plagued with bad decisions and scandal. In order to save the holiday, his father has arranged his marriage to his best friend and heir to Easter, Iris. However, he has some competition for Iris’s hand from Hex, the heir to Halloween, who it turns out is the guy that Coal kissed and never quite forgot about.

Coal and Hex were adorable together. They were so sweet and I loved their banter. It was so fun to see Iris intervene in their relationship when they were both supposed to be competing for her.

I really loved the world building and how the different families are in charge of the holidays. I liked the tumultuous relationships between them because it sets up a lot of possibilities for future stories. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for Coal’s brother.

Gods, I enjoyed this book so much, and it 100% met my expectations. I was silly, fun, and completely ridiculous and I loved every second of it, so much that I couldn´t put it down, and I mean it literally. I was on a family weekend when I received my copy so I had to dive right in and then spend every second I could get away with reading it.

As I said, this is absolutely ridiculous, I mean we are talking about royal families for the holidays. Does it make a lot of sense? No! Was it absolutely entertaining?? Yes! 100% I think you just have to accept it and enjoy it!

That being said, some of the themes hit pretty close to home and I didn't expect to see stuff like parent's expectations and grief play a huge role in a funny holiday romance, but it was very well done and handled with care adding a deeper layer to the story.

Coal and Hex and so stinking cute, I love every second of their flirting and sneaking around. Coal is so funny and his relationship with his brother is a perfect portrayal of siblings, in my opinion. I loved Iris, the Easter princess, and I wish we get a book soon about her happily ever after!

This book is the perfect mix of fun and serious, doesn't take itself too seriously, and manages to be the perfect holiday romance!