Patrick and Quinn have been married less than a year but their relationship is already buckling under the pressure of real life. But a second chance to rediscover their romance comes from an unlikely source. When Patrick accidentally clobbers Santa with a frying pan and causes him to quit, he and Quinn must step in to save Christmas. Only, their responsibility doesn’t end on Christmas morning. Once the gifts are given, they are swept away to the North Pole where they have a choice - become the Merriest Misters or return home and cancel Christmas. Will they be able to save Christmas and their relationship or will their new challenge only drive them further apart?

It’s never too early for a Christmas novel right? I thought this was a cute riff on The Santa Clause. There was plenty of whimsy and Christmas magic with a backdrop of a marriage with real issues. Patrick and Quinn loved each other, I did not doubt that, but their relationship milestones have been rushed to appease expectations from outside sources (i.e. family). I enjoyed seeing the snippets of these milestones mixed in with what was happening current day, it helped to paint the full picture of how they got to where they are now.

They were both thrust into this new world at the North Pole with new responsibilities but they were also given a chance to explore their individual purposes and reconnect as a couple. I liked seeing them come into their own as they discovered their true passions. But, as they discover their true calling, it may end up taking them down separate paths. Without giving any spoilers, I liked how this all came together. It was very sweet. Some bits of the story were a little slow but overall I thought it was a festive and heartfelt holiday romance!

This was such a fun read! The Santa Clause is one of my all time favorite movies so it was super fun to see how it played out in this version! I loved Patrick and Quinn and seeing them work through their relationship and adjusting to a new North Pole normal. A very fun Christmas read!

Quinn and Patrick are a few months into marriage and it feels like everything is going wrong. Between stressful jobs, withheld information, overbearing in-laws, and a crumbling house Quinn has been feeling abandoned in their marriage. Enter a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: Become Santa and the first ever Merry Mister for a year! Will this new role and fairy-tale utopia be enough to save this flailing couple? Or is the relationship past saving even with some Christmas magic?

Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the Merriest Misters. It was a cute, Christmas-themed story. I will say it definitely relied heavily on the “magic of Christmas” schtick which got a bit redundant at times. I also do not usually read romances focused on an already established couple, but I did enjoy the “second-chance romance” vibes in this story. As for the characters, I loved Quinn, but I was constantly getting frustrated with Patrick. I am unsure if he even really learned what he was doing wrong by the end of the story! He needs a serious refresher on the importance of communication in a relationship if he wants to stay in Quinn’s good graces.

I would say that if you enjoy cheesy Hallmark movies then you will probably enjoy The Merriest Misters. If you prefer romances with a little more depth, then this one may not be for you.

This is much more than a cutesy Santa rom com. I love romance books with married couples who are just trying to work through LIFE together. I adored the concept of them “rewriting” the Santa bylaws to accommodate a queer couple. Overall, the magic and pure realness of this book was very charming.

This is book is half marriage in trouble, half wacky take on The Santa Clause. It's an odd dynamic. Actually, it's more 1/3 of each and 1/3 flashbacks into the MCs relationship.

Patrick and Quinn haven't even been married a year, but they've grown apart given the pressures of their work and the fixer-upper house they sacrificed their honeymoon to buy. And now Patrick has committed Quinn to making Christmas dinner for Pat's exacting family? Good thing they assaulted Santa with a frying pan and have to take over the gig in order to literally save Christmas.

There's a tension between the serious relationship in trouble plot and the saving Christmas plot. They take a while to fully converge. The flashbacks reveal a relationship that may have moved faster than either of them were particularly comfortable with, and how quickly and clearly Quinn suppresses who he is to be acceptable to Pat's family, and the pressure Pat felt to achieve in order to please his parents. This left me feeling more like the relationship needed a re-start than to be saved.

I did appreciate how Patrick never felt Quinn needed to change, and assumed (with Quinn's help) that the changes were what Quinn wanted. I appreciated the secondary plots of communicating and reconciling with family.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 - “Any adventure with you is an adventure worth taking.”

This is exactly what I want from a Christmas rom com. Not only is this extremely funny (Hobart steals so many moments and I love him), but it tackles the marriage in crisis trope so unbelievably well. I’m always wary about this trope, but there is such a great balance that it works so well here.

Patrick and Quinn are at this crossroads, not only in their marriage but in their careers as well. As tension builds when Patrick invites his parents for Christmas in their unfinished home, Quinn feels slighted. On top of everything else they’re dealing with, Patrick becomes Santa. And even though that’s where the comedy comes in, the romance and struggles are a perfect balance.

“Love that overcomes is stronger than love that settles.”

I had such a great time reading this. Patrick as Santa is funny and charming, as he takes to the job immediately. Quinn relishes in the freedom from teaching. But this adventure doesn’t fix the problems they arrived with. The insights into both Patrick and Quinn are excellent to flesh out their insecurities, leading to the vulnerable conversations that they have. Patrick and Quinn grow both as a couple and individually that it I was giddy about it. We get to see Patrick step out from the pressures he receives from his parents and settle into this unbelievable role as Santa. Quinn realizes he's burnt out from teach, and when he helps a small elf named Mick Flurry (peak elf name), he realizes that his efforts would be better spent helping queer youth.

I truly loved reading this and had such a great time. I found both Patrick and Quinn's struggles relatable, and I really appreciated the time they spent apart to really discover what they wanted. It's the perfect Christmas romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for an early release copy of The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky.

The Merriest of Misters probably should have been a dnf for me but I did finish reading it because I wanted to see what direction it was going to go in. From the start I felt like something was off about the writing style, I don’t particularly know how to describe what feels off about it but this type of writing didn’t click with me at all. I also wasn’t a fan of any of these characters, I didn’t like Quinn and Patrick, I didn’t like how their relationship plays out. I couldn’t find myself routining for them at all during this story, the sad and romance scenes in general just weren’t hitting me with me. It didn’t help that the book skips around a lot and about more then half way through it feels like the main characters family members and friends were completely forgotten/after thoughts.

The Merriest Misters was… fine. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. Like the synopsis states it’s pretty similar to the movie The Santa Clause but make it queer + marriage in crisis trope. I’m not like mad I read it or anything but I could have skipped it and been totally fine. If it sounds good to you, go for it, but I’m not necessarily recommending it.

This has me in ALLLL of the feels right now! I want to bring out all of my Christmas decorations STAT!
This was my first Timothy Janovsky novel, but definitely not my last. It gives off MAJOR “Santa Clause” with Tim Allen vibes & brings out a ton of nostalgia, while also having a lot of new additions to this Holiday Rom-Com.
Patrick & Quinn’s marriage is on the rocks & whenever Patrick “accidentally” knocks out Santa with a frying pan & that Santa quits, Patrick & Quinn are left to save Christmas!! Then, they are asked to stay on as Santa Patrick & Quinn as the FIRST ever “Merriest Mister”. Quinn and Patrick set off on a magical holiday adventure, while trying to figure out who they are outside of their careers as well as the boring, mundane, every day life stuff.
The story progresses really well & the characters are interesting with the plot progressing consistently too. I loved the dual POV’s as well as the flashback chapters that add to who Patrick & Quinn are as individuals. I saw a third-act breakup in these two, but the love they share is conquered as they fulfill their own wants and needs as well as each others.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, & the author for this wonderful book!

This was a super cute ‘marriage in trouble’ romance mashed with a queer version of The Santa Clause, and I loved how unique it felt.

After accidentally injuring Santa on Christmas Eve, Patrick becomes the new Santa, along with his husband Quinn who becomes the Merriest Mister. They travel to the North Pole are are immersed in elf and Christmas culture and it was so fun to read the world building.

If you are looking for something fluffy (complementary) and fun and full of Christmas cheer, definitely check this out!

I like a little more emotion - if you’re telling me it’s marriage in crisis I want to FEEL the crisis which I didn’t at all here. It really skimmed the surface or and focused more on the becoming Santa/The Merriest Mister instead of focusing on the romance which is not my fave. I honestly never felt like the couple had any romantic connection or felt any emotion between them.

Overall though it was cute, just not a new fave for me.

What a charmer this is! The first years of marriage are tough but Quinn and Patrick get a chance to reset when Patrick accidentally knocks out Santa and then they move to North Pole. Yep, Patrick becomes Santa. This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of their relationship. It's very much a buy the premise sort of story but once you do, you'll find yourself all in not only for Patrick and Quinn but also for, well, Christmas. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Chuckleworthy in spots and it will make you smile.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for an advance copy of this!!

This book is an absolute delight! The holiday reads that I have read previously never fully gave me the holiday vibes but this made me want to go to the North Pole and got me in the spirit of Christmas.

"Marriages are, as silly as it may seem, tandem bicycles. If you can't learn to pedal together, you'll end up tipping or crashing or worse."

The Santa Clause is one of my all time favorite holiday movies so I was excited when Janovsky announced that this was going to be a retelling. I felt that it had the same spirit but written for 2024 and with the author's own flair. Marriage in trouble is a new trope for Janovsky to write and I thought he did a good job navigating it. My heart felt for Patrick and Quinn - they both had so much love for one another but wanted to still do stuff on their own.

They both were at different crossroads - Quinn realizing that he might not want to be a teacher anymore and Patrick being overworked & losing his job and not sure what his next move could be. Going to the North Pole was a reset for them as a couple and really allowed them to spend that missed time together and to realize why they love one another. Patrick and Quinn just seemed so happy in the North Pole and it had made me wonder if for Quinn not having the "timeline" would have perhaps made him more present instead of just waiting for the ultimate end to occur. I will say I am nervous for the couple for being separated majority of the time but they seem to have a plan and to make it work especially with the epilogue.

As I mentioned above this book made me want to go to the North Pole and that is credit to the way Janovsky describe the setting. All that was missing was Judy's hot chocolate. Hobart was such a delight as a head elf!!

I thought the pacing was really well done. Throughout the book there was a countdown until the next Christmas with a sprinkle of past moments that give the readers a glimpse to their lives previously which was a nice touch.

If you are looking for a book that emits Christmas magic and just is a feel good read - give this one a read!

4.75 stars

This was such a fun take on The Santa Clause but instead of a strained father/son relationship we have a marriage on the rocks. I really enjoyed the "a memory" chapters to see how they originally fell in love. I also felt the conflict was very real and understandable. The way the characters had to deal with their family's expectations on their life while also coming to terms with their own identities and desires was nice to see. And to see both of them do this on their own and together even without therapy was believable. I was glad to see they were never outright mean to each other during their struggles and could see where they may have added to the struggles on their own. And now I want to get all of my Christmas decorations out already!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Merriest Misters is a cute holiday escape read. A sweet spin on the Santa Clause where husbands Quinn and Patrick are stumbling through their first year of marriage like roommates. A surprise on Christmas Eve sends their heads spinning, and twists their lives upside down.

Suspending reality for a wintry scene is a nice mental break, and Janovsky portrays martial struggles with love and empathy. A lovely read for a chilly afternoon!

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press.

For some reason everything I read a Janovsky book I always go in with the expectation of one thing, but never end up with the same one when I am done. This one is no different and it makes reading his work all the more better.

Only Janovsky could mash together 90s and 00s popculture christmas movies, music, and add in classic books to create a plot and characters that can stand the test of time.

He manages to weave a narrative tapestry that strikes all the feelings, laughter, sadness, and anger. The depth to which he makes you feel for smaller C list characters also doesn't go un noticed.

Other authors have to write series of books to get the results and overall appreciated payback you get from just reading one of his.

The Merriest Misters had me Holly, Jolly, and To the North Pole and Back with Joy!

The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky delivers a delightful holiday romance that’s sure to fill readers with warmth, joy, and plenty of holiday cheer. This second-chance romance revolves around Patrick and Quinn, a married couple whose relationship has hit a rough patch due to a lack of communication. When Patrick is offered a unique opportunity—a new job that involves taking on the role of Santa Claus—he hesitates but ultimately embraces the mantle. What follows is a magical year at the North Pole, with Patrick as the newest Santa and Quinn stepping into the role of the Merriest Mister, a fresh take on the more traditional Mrs. Claus figure.

Janovsky beautifully weaves their journey of rediscovery, bringing readers into the heart of their relationship. Through touching flashbacks, we get glimpses of their love story, from the early days of dating to their proposal, and even the difficult moments that led them to where they are now. These reflections add emotional depth, making the couple’s journey toward rekindling their love feel authentic and meaningful.

While the romance may not be as steamy as some of Janovsky's other works, the subtle “sweet heat” perfectly complements the cozy holiday setting. The emotional connection between Patrick and Quinn is what truly shines, with every tender moment contributing to their eventual reunion.

The book culminates in a powerful and heart-wrenching finale that may bring tears to readers’ eyes. Without giving away too much, the ending is deeply moving and a perfect conclusion to this touching love story. Fans of holiday romances, especially those who enjoy classics like The Santa Clause, won’t want to miss this charming and uplifting read. The Merriest Misters is an absolute joy—an adorable and heartwarming romantic comedy that’s sure to be a holiday favorite.

Timothy Janovsky’s The Merriest Misters is a mash up of a marriage-in-trouble story and The Santa Clause – yes, really! - that I mostly enjoyed but which, unfortunately, fails to stick the landing. It’s well-written and the issues the couple are dealing (or not dealing) with are recognisable and realistic, but the ending is dissatisfying and I came away from the book thinking that maybe the leads should call it quits - which isn’t what I want to be thinking when I finish a romance novel.

Quinn Muller and Patrick Hargrave have been together for over five years and married for a little under one. They recently bought a house Quinn doesn’t really like, they have stressful jobs – Quinn is an elementary school teacher and Patrick is a junior architect at a big firm – and of late their jobs, the house and life in general are sucking them dry, leaving them very little time for themselves or each other. When Patrick tells Quinn he’s agreed to host Christmas for his family, it’s just another straw on the camel’s back for Quinn, but good spouses don’t make unnecessary drama, so he bites back his annoyance and says they’ll work it out.

Things quickly go from bad to worse when Patrick is fired the next day. Feeling like he’s failing at being a good husband and not wanting to add to the stress Quinn is already feeling over the Christmas preparations, Patrick decides not to tell him straight away - but he inadvertently lets the cat out of the bag during an argument. Angry and miserable, Quinn goes to bed in the spare room that night, but is rudely awakened by Patrick, who is brandishing a frying pan and saying he thinks he’s killed someone. Quinn accompanies Patrick downstairs to the kitchen where there’s a man dressed in red lying on the floor, out cold. When he eventually comes round, the man – who really does look like Santa Claus – gets up and yells “I quit!” before storming out of the house, leaving his suit behind. Before they can think too much about what just happened, an elf appears – at least, Quinn thinks he’s an elf – who explains there’s no time to lose. It’s Christmas Eve and unless Patrick and Quinn are willing to put on the enchanted cloak and finish delivering all the gifts, Christmas won’t happen. It’s a no-brainer, for Patrick at least. Quinn decides to go along for the (sleigh) ride.

After an exhilarating night delivering gifts, Quinn and Patrick are asked if they’ll consider staying on until the next Christmas, at least. They have until New Year to decide and while Patrick is keener on the idea than Quinn, Quinn lets himself be persuaded. Maybe a change of scene is what they need to repair their marriage and fall in love again.

The story is told in the present – a series of vignettes of Quinn and Patrick’s lives as Santa and the Merriest Mister - and some short flashback chapters that show Patrick and Quinn’s relationship at various stages, from their first meeting through to their wedding and house hunting. From the start, it’s clear that Patrick is trying desperately to make up for not training to be a lawyer like his parents wanted, and having absorbed his father’s very traditional ideas that a husband should be a stoic provider means he views his role as protector rather than equal partner. We see how he and Quinn kind of rushed things after they’d become a couple – mostly because Patrick was trying to conform to his father’s idea of ‘the right’ way to do things (meet someone, get married, buy a house) - and that Quinn’s background (his parents divorced when he was young and he’s determined to never let that happen to him) has a lot to do with why he’s allowed Patrick to bulldoze him into certain decisions, such as buying a house he really doesn’t like, and even moving in together and getting married before he was really ready for either of those things.

The author does a great job creating an atmosphere of warmth and love and contentment in the North Pole scenes, and of explaining the lore and how everything works. Things start well, and Patrick takes to being Santa like a duck to water; he’s completely re-energised and discovers a new drive and sense of purpose, and Quinn hopes he’ll be able to find a job that fulfils him in the same way when they return to to real world. Having time and space to properly think about what he wants has made Quinn realise that teaching isn’t the right fit for him; he still wants to work with children and young people but in a different capacity, and he’s looking forward to finding the right opportunity. But as the days pass and with their year coming to a close, Quinn realises that their relationship is essentially much as it was when they took the gig. Patrick is still making decisions without consulting him and Quinn is still letting him - and when Patrick says he wants to stay, but Quinn doesn’t, there’s only one thing to do if they’re to save Christmas a second time.

I suppose the underlying message is that it’s important to take time for yourself and to spend time finding out who you are and what makes you happy – and that no matter how much you love someone (and I really do believe Patrick and Quinn love each other) if you’re not able to be yourself and communicate effectively with your partner, then things are unlikely to go well. I liked watching Quinn growing into himself and doing what made him happy, and I loved the scene where Patrick takes steps to mend his relationship with his brother, but the ending just didn’t work for me. I get that an HEA looks different for different people and that what works for one couple won’t necessarily work for another, but in the context of a romance novel, the solution Quinn and Patrick arrive at doesn’t feel much like an HEA to me. For one thing, there’s still too much left unresolved between them, and for another, Patrick once again doesn’t involve Quinn in the decision making process. And third [spoiler title="Show spoiler"] it means they will essentially be in a long-distance relationship until such time as Patrick decides to stop being Santa. Given that the foundation of their relationship is already so wobbly, I’m not sure how living apart is going to make things any better. And I know this is fantasy, but I couldn’t help wondering about the practical things. Living alone most of the time means Quinn is stuck with all the home maintenance and chores – and how will he manage financially? [/spoiler]

Also – they just disappear for a year and ghost all their family and friends. Why does nobody report them as missing?

I know it must seem as though I didn’t like the book, but that isn’t the case. The marriage-in-trouble aspect of the story is really well done, the problems Patrick and Quinn are experiencing are very relatable, and I absolutely felt their frustration and their unhappiness in the early part of the book. The choice they have to make in order to save Christmas really tugs at the heartstrings, and the letters they write each other while they’re apart are sweet. But Patrick doesn’t appear to undergo any real personal growth and in the end, I just wasn’t convinced these two people, regardless of their love for each other, were meant to be together.

The Merriest Misters might be worth a read if you’re looking for a different take on a Christmas staple and don’t mind the lack of real resolution to the relationship problems. But if you want something a bit cosier for the festive season, this probably isn’t it.

Tim Allen's the Santa Claus is one of my favorite holiday movies so when I saw that an author I love was writing a queer version of it I had to get me hands on it.

Quinn and Patrick are recently married and knock out Santa only to be responsible now for wearing the suit and saving Christmas. But this book is about saving more than just Christmas because Quinn and Patrick have to learn to save each other and themselves in the process. Its a beautiful testament to fighting for the love you want because marriage is hard.

If you want a sweet, nostalgic holiday story with a queer twist then this is the book to read this holiday season.
4.5 stars - I will be reading this again and again!!

'The Merriest Misters' by Timothy Janovsky is an updated, retelling of the Christmas classic, Tim Allen's 'The Santa Clause.' And absolutely, I would also watch this movie. Patrick and Quinn are experiencing a rough patch in their marriage when Patrick surprises a "burglar" who turns out to be Santa, and wackiness ensures from there.

This is at it's heart, a story about a relationship, and Janovsky does a wonderful job of representing how miscommunication, assumptions, and striving to live for others' wants and needs (without really investigating those wants and needs) can lead to relational strife, even in the North Pole. He highlights how damaging microagressions can be, and the importance of having people around you who accept you as you are, even when you might struggle to accept yourself.

Thank you to Timothy Janovsky and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of 'The Merriest Misters.'

I thought The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky was a cute holiday read, but ultimately a bit forgettable. It follows Quinn and Patrick as they find out Santa is real, take over the role, and work on repairing their marriage, interspersed with flashbacks of the beginning of their relationship. I found myself most interested in the descriptions of the North Pole.