This is a delightful holiday story! A married couple, fighting through first year of marriage woes, meet Santa. Think The Santa Clause movie vibe. I really enjoyed it! The holiday magic part of the story added to a great story of marriage, family and love. Highly recommend!

The Merriest Misters is a romance where struggling husbands have to work together and save Christmas and their marriage. Filled with all the queer rep, marriage / relationship problems, light steam, working together , and a happy ending.

I really enjoyed this book! I love this author's Christmas books, I haven't read any of his not Christmas works yet though so I'll probably like those to

A marriage in trouble doesn’t really scream Christmas but I though this was well done and super realistic (well, the non-magical parts.) I loved how the North Pole characters immediately welcomed Quinn and Patrick. Janovsky works in some sadder themes throughout but it kept my attention and made for a good read. If you enjoyed The Santa Claus then you will definitely like this one!

If you are looking for a cute, funny Christmas romance, look no further! Thank you to SMP Romance & Macmillan Audio for the review copies!

Spice Level: fade to black

The Merriest Misters is this great balance of the realistic struggles of a young relationship - splitting bills and housework, making decisions about where to live and how to decorate, and balancing your work life, and your dreams and passions, with your home life - and an absolutely fantastical situation - being the new Santa Claus. There’s also a sprinkling of conversations about the rigidity of gender roles in our society. But Janovsky tackles these deep conversations amidst a fun romp of a novel, keeping the vibes mostly lighthearted.

Patrick and Quinn met in college and got married soon after graduating. They are early in their marriage, and things are getting a little rocky. Quinn starts out the book feeling emotionally neglected, and like he has been responsible for more of the housework and cooking while Patrick works long hours.

Patrick is learning how to show his love and appreciation in a way that actually makes Quinn feel loved and appreciated - and how many of us have had that phase in our relationships? There are whole books about the Five Love Languages to try to give couples the language to identify how their partner can show them love. And, of course, there are studies showing how home labor tends to fall on women’s shoulders more than men’s - even if the woman is the primary breadwinner. It was really interesting to see how these roles play out when there are two men in the relationship.

While I can go on and on about these deep conversations that I find interesting - the core plot of this book was so fun and lighthearted! After Patrick attacks Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, he becomes the new Santa, and moves to the North Pole for a year with Quinn. There is a lot of magic and fun at the North Pole - the Christmas vibes were off the charts! The whole cast of characters was so fun - especially the little poet elf that Quinn gives pep talks to.

🎧 I really loved these two narrator’s performances. With two POVs and flashbacks, it can sometimes be a little hard to follow by audio, but I found this one to be very clear with what POV we were in and where we were in the timeline! All of the characters were clear and distinct, and the narrators matched their characters so well.

I love a good Christmas Rom-com and the way that Janovsky was able to write such a beautiful story that showed real problems in relationships where we do not see the stereotypical gay character fighting. The loosely related story of Tim Allan's "The Santa Clause" movies just made this book so much better.

The characters are well written with some great representation and inviting story lines. The one thing I struggled with a bit was the flashbacks to Patrick and Quinn's early memories but they got easier to follow as you read.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Merriest Misters is an absolute delight! My favorite holiday read of the year. I loved how Janovsky imagined the legacy of Santa Claus and The North Pole. Amidst all the whimsy and peppermint sweets, the story is rooted in the real world as Patrick and Quinn navigate newlywed life with demanding jobs. Those issues don't magically resolve at The North Pole and the couple has to work together and separately to find their happiness. This is a perfect balance of fantasy and realism.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this. #TheMerriestMisters #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

Thank you NetGalley,
I was not a big fan of this. I felt like the queer factor was forced in this 📖 . The relationships seemed super forced. I like seeing representation in books but this book didn’t land for me

Book: The Merriest Misters
Author: Timothy Janovsky
Rating: 4/5 stars

The Merriest Misters was a charming queer Christmas read. It follows Patrick and Quinn, who have unfortunately experienced their romance not living up to their expectations. Their relationship is no longer what it was once since getting married less than a year ago and moving in together.
On Christmas Eve, Patrick wakes Quinn up in a panic and explains that he may have killed a man outside of their home. It's discovered that the burglar Patrick thought he was saving them from, and knocked unconscious, is actually Santa Claus himself. The story then follows Patrick and Quinn as they work together to save Christmas - and hopefully better their relationship in the process.

The story included elements of humour, Christmas magic, and romance. While the premise and storyline were light and fun, it also touched on more serious topics. It navigated the theme of finding yourself within a relationship, and just how important that can be. It also demonstrated that not all relationships are traditional and that you don't have to be conventional in the eyes of others. I thought these topics were handled and written in a way that wasn't too in your face but flowed with what both Patrick and Quinn were going through at the different times in the book.
I also thought that the story was well-paced, and I enjoyed the flashback chapters that were relevant and added depth to the story.
It was nice to read how both main characters found themselves and realized throughout the story what they wanted and how they were going to work to achieve it.

I would recommend The Merriest Misters to anyone who would be looking to read a delightful Christmas novel with heartfelt lessons and a touch of Christmas magic.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of The Merriest Misters.

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this free digital review copy.**

This book was full of Christmas magic! When Patrick and Quinn accidentally cause Santa to quit on Christmas Eve, they have to take on the role in order to keep from canceling Christmas. Patrick becomes Santa and Quinn becomes the Merriest Mister – but their goals and dreams aren't quite aligned. This ridiculous but heartfelt story follows the couple as they rediscover their love and try to save both their relationship and Christmas over the course of a year. The story was an easy read that made me laugh and tugged at my heartstrings.

The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky is a heartwarming and delightful holiday romance that blends humor, charm, and a touch of magic. The story follows a loveable but somewhat jaded protagonist who finds himself unexpectedly drawn into a whirlwind romance with a charming, Christmas-obsessed man. Janovsky's writing is witty and heartfelt, with a perfect balance of lighthearted moments and emotional depth. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and the festive setting adds an extra layer of warmth to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Timothy Janovsky for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

As a 90s child- there's not much you can't love about this book if you already loved Tim Allen's The Santa Clause. This is a gift to us millennials that need escape through a retelling of cherished film- but make it MM and inclusive.

The marital conflict was very realistic- the setting was cozy- and the holiday joy is very present!

This was a quick and fun, easy to read queer holiday romance that I enjoyed! It was about a couple whose marriage was in trouble and then one Christmas Eve night, they get tasked with becoming the new Santa Claus and his Merriest Mister. Think of the movie, The Santa Clause! If you like that movie, you'll like this story, which is full of magical North pole fun, including a snowy landscape, elves, a toy workshop, and flying reindeer. If you're in the mood for something festive, this will work!

Patrick and Quinn are only a year into their marriage and are already struggling
In come the Santa claus twist
Could living at the North Pole being Santa save their marriage or will it make it worse

✨ Review ✨ The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky; Narrated by
Mark Sanderlin and Zach Barela

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I didn't read the synopsis of this at all, and so I was caught totally off guard when it turns from a Patrick and Quinn are having a rough spot in their marriage to a full Gay The Santa Clause where they're being rushed off to deliver presents on a sleigh after knocking Santa out with a frying pan.

The couple proceeds to bring magic back to their marriage via literal magic at the North Pole, and it is the cheesiest of cheesy Christmas stories. With that said, we're living in a moment where some cheesy queer cheer is needed to soothe the soul, and it provided me this silly joy in a week where I really needed it.

I loved that both Patrick and Quinn found ways to pursue their passions, feel more connected to their individual identities, and explore their couple goals together throughout this book. In this way, the book provides silly and serious in a way that you just might need right now!

🎧 The audio was lovely -- both characters brought forward their emotions and unique identity through the narration.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: contemporary/fantasy m/m romance
Setting: the North Pole
Length: 10 hours and 7 minutes
Reminds me of: The Santa Clause
Pub Date: October 1, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ The Santa Clause
⭕️ queer holiday romance
⭕️ rocky post-marriage turned romance
⭕️ architects and teachers

I truly enjoyed this book. I was looking for a Christmas romcom book and this delivered on all my expectations -
it was sweet, funny, emotional, all while playing out like a movie in my head .

Quinn and Patrick were equally likeable, and I really enjoyed the past memories woven into the book that really filled out the characters and their relationship.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was so charming! A perfect little holiday treat - I loved seeing Quinn and Pat and their marriage in trouble shaken up by a little magic! Timothy Janovsky does a holiday story and a little bit of magic so delightfully and it was so fun to see those skills come together with all the swoons here!

This was a super sweet and cute fade to black romance that I was perfect for the holidays! I loved that happily ever did not mean giving up who you are or what you love to be with the other person. I also loved that their perfect relationship didn't mean living together 24/7 365. This was a perfect example of an alternative relationship that is happy and healthy!

I love this author, so I was expecting without a doubt to like this book, and I was 1000% correct. What a fun holiday romance! I loved this take on the marriage in trouble trope.

Sadly, I DNF'ed this one. I feel like it probably developed and becomes a fun read, but it just seemed so ridiculously far fetched. Which I get was the point but just not something I could connect to!