This was cute but ultimately not as charming as it needed to be to pull of the concept. I think if I had read this in high school it would've hit me more I think. So just an issue of not for me.

Thank you to @NetGalley for letting me listen to the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This book was cute however one of the irks for me was the instalove. Coal was so annoying I almost couldn't stand him. I liked Hex, he was great but I wanted a dual POV it would have made the book even better. It was a cute story, with heavy trauma from the families. I wish they went into more detail with the families and why they made those choices.

Read if you like:
🔀 Opposites Attract
🤫 Secret Relationship
🏡 Forced Proximity
🎉 Holiday Romances
✨ Magical Realism
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ Romances

This book was so dang cute!!!! I really loved the way the opposites attract was done with the Prince of Christmas and Prince of Halloween and how they were brought together as part of a political move but they also have history when they met and made out n in a bar before being brought together over essentially a “which holiday will win” moment organized by Coal’s dad who is doing sus things to gain power for Christmas.

I loved how their romance grew while “competing” for the heart of the princess of Easter and while also trying to make things better for all holidays and fix the issues that they have uncovered with how Coal’s dad has gone about things with the other holidays.

All in all, it’s such a cute read and I truly can’t wait for the next installment and can’t wait to see Chris get his HEA too!

My one feedback is at times the pacing didn’t quite work, but reading via audio made this one thing easier to look past.

Thank you so so so much to Bramble for my ARC, finished copy, and Macmillan for my audiobook!

Thank you to Bramble Romance & Macmillan Audio for the review copies!

This Nightmare Before Kissmas has some definite Red, White and Royal Blue vibes - the characters are just out of college aged and both the children of Holiday royalty!

If you’re looking for a romance that builds a full world and spends a lot of time on plots besides the main romance, I think you’ll really love this one! The book builds out a world where each holiday has it’s own kingdom, and the royals of each kingdom have magic that relates to their holiday.

The romantic tension between Coal and Hex was super well done - I was rooting for these two from the very beginning! Coal’s brother Kris and best friend Iris were also wonderful, and I loved spending time with all of them!

I felt like the magic system was under-untilized, and I was confused about how there were kingdoms, but also regular countries. It was explained that Halloween had close ties with Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, for example. To me, it almost felt like this inclusion was diversity for diversity’s sake - NOT that I think that it shouldn’t have been included - but it made me want to see MORE non-Christian holidays included. Does Diwali have a kingdom? Jewish holidays? Or if the holiday doesn’t have a non-religious following, is that the only time it gets magic? I would have loved to see more diverse representation in the holidays discussed!

There was a lot of infodumping about what parts of Christmas was being included in this world and what wasn’t. It felt like the book couldn’t decide if it was more magical realism and set in the real world or if it was more magical. The magic itself was only ever used as kind of a parlor trick, so I really wanted to see magic utilized if it was going to be introduced.

I think if this book had been edited down a bit I would have loved it instead of just liking it - it felt like there was a lot going on, and at times it was repetitive. If you are looking for a fun romance book that features both Halloween and Christmas, I do recommend it!

🎧 Ellis Evans does a fantastic job bringing this world to life. His narration gives each character their own unique voice. The book translates well as an audiobook, so pick your favorite format with this one!

I did not expect to absolutely adore this book the way that i did. This was laugh out loud funny at time, but yet had a very real and very raw under story to it as well. I love Cole and the genuine goodness in his heart. The way that he tried to do what was right and good even if a little misguided at times was very enduring. Hex was an absolute gem and his moodiness and whole aura was very much what i would expect from the prince of Halloween. The banter between these two as well as Iris and Chris was so much fun. There are some tough subjects in this book such as death of a parent (off page) abandonment of children (off page), as well as slight mental and emotional abuse (some on page) . Although i didn't expect them in a book about the royalty of holidays, i found that the really gave depth and perception to the story and characters and i really appreciated that. I cannot wait for the second book in this series!

I loved the audio for this and think that the narrator did a fantastic job bringing it to life. I hope that he narrates the next one as well!

📚Review: The Nightmare Before Kissmas 🎃🎄

Thank you @brambleromance for the #gifted copy of this gem! 😍

By: Sara Raasch
Publishing: October 8, 2024

Nicolas “Coal” Christmas used to love Christmas. Well, that was before his dad, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR facade. Now, Coal does anything he can to escape the spectacle his dad’s made, including getting drunk and making out with mystery men behind bars. His father then commands Coal to marry his best friend and brother’s not-so-secret crush, Iris, Easter Princess. A rival prince shows up to challenge Coal for Iris’ hand and turns out to be the behind-the-bar mystery man…Hex, Halloween Prince. The two become part of a fake dating competition, but are far more concerned with finding every chance they can get to spend time alone together.

Happy pub day, @sara_raasch! 🥳

I cannot stop thinking about this fun, sexy, heartfelt book!

Truly, this is the perfect book to get anyone into the holiday spirit this season. My love for Halloween and Christmas runs deep, so this book felt perfect for me. It reminded me so much of the Rise of the Guardians movie that came out years ago, but this is a queer, romcom, sexy version I much prefer.

I adored our cast of characters and felt deeply for them so fast. The relationships between Coal, Iris, Kris—Coal’s brother, and Hex were really something special with their banter, support, and desire to bring joy to the world through kindness and support. This books deals with a lot of emotions brought on by the impact of familial expectations for the benefit of a well groomed public facade and it does it so heartbreakingly well.

There’s so much more I could say, but you’ll just have to read it yourself! And, book two has already been revealed, so we know the fun will continue soon…with Kris as our MC! I’ll be impatiently counting down the days until it gets released.

Verdict: Really Loved 😍

This book was so heartfelt and good! I was hooked with all of the royal politics and the love story was spicy, but also soft. I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did. The whimsical nature of the plot was perfect to enjoy during the holiday season.

A cute light holiday read.

I’ll be honest I was hoping for more Halloween but it was cute. The Prince of Christmas is known for his rash decisions and “mistakes” so his father to secure an alliance with other holidays arranges a marriage between him and the princess of Easter. If only the Prince of Halloween wasn’t so hot and the memory of their kiss wasn’t so distracting lol. A lot of politics and Christmas fun.

I enjoyed it. I will just be here hoping we get to visit Halloween at some point in this series.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

Coal is the prince of Christmas, immature and aimless, and hiding a chip on his shoulder. Things go from not-that-great to worse as he and his best friend, the princess of Easter, discover that they're betrothed. To make things more complicated, Hex, a guy Coal once kissed behind a bar, arrives to vie for Iris' hand. Hex, who happens to be the prince of Halloween, is not only handsome, but deep too. Hex awakens feelings in Coal that Coal didn't believe he could feel. Hex changes Coal's beliefs as well, and soon Coal is challenging the status quo, upending traditions, and forging a new path. But can Coal change things for the better AND be with Hex?

I was so impressed by this novel. It reads like high fantasy, light on the actual holiday feels but heavy on the politics between nations. (I say "nations" because the way the holidays interact reminds me of geo-politics.) It was at times a little complicated, but often lightened up with humor. Sara Raasch is a great writer, making me want to root for all of her complex characters. The spice was exceptional too, always paired with deep emotion. I loved listening to this audiobook. Ellis Evans does a superb job as the narrator. The only downside is that I wasn't able to highlight line after line of Hex's incredible thoughts.

I'd like to thank MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the audio ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored everything about this book! It is original, beautifully written, and will have you cracking up! I loved the banter between the two male leads but also with Coal and his friends. This is also the perfect book for when you want a holiday romance but aren't quite done with spooky season yet!

I really loved watching Coal try to create a better future for his holiday while also falling completely head over heels for the most inconvenient person. While this book is a really great romance I was also impressed by some of the insights into holidays it made. I loved the idea that Halloween is special because it brings joy from things that would usually be scary and I thought there were some interesting insights into Christmas as well.

I am completely hooked on this series and can't wait for the sequel! If you like amazing banter, a creative paranormal twist, an MM romance or have a pulse I recommend running to your nearest bookstore to grab this one immediately! I honestly don't think my review does this one justice but it made me incredibly happy and I couldn't put it down.

I listened to the audiobook of this title and loved it! Ellis Evans did the narration, and it is great. It is single narrator but also single POV. I think unless you only enjoy duet narration you'll enjoy this audio.

As a queer "Nightmare Before Christmas" stan, this title caught me months ago and wouldn't let go. It kept popping up everywhere and I pushed it to the side and said "Kitsch cash grab"! Hells belle was I dumb. This was so adorable and nothing like I was expecting. The princes of Christmas and Halloween "courting" the princess of Easter, but not-so-secretly being head over heels for each other? This was a recipe for a perfect fall/winter romance and I'm so made at myself for not reading it sooner. That being said, this is the perfect romance to read this time of year and I don't know if I would have the same feelings about it if I had dived in when it first came across my radar.

My only reservations is that while it is a New Adult title, it gives off major YA vibes. Between Sara Raach being a regular on the teen scene, the cover looking like other YA queer romances, and Nightmare Before Christmas usually being aimed at a slightly younger audience, the marketing needs to lean a bit heavily toward adult audiences.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas is a fun, quirky, sweet romance between the Prince of Halloween and The Prince of Christmas. Though this is marketed as a rivals to lovers, in my opinion they never truly acted like rivals and pretty much loved each other from the start. The first part of the book is on the slower burn side but there's a lot happening to keep you invested. I loved the whole message of joy, to make your own joy and be happy.

The characters are really fun and I liked that they all represented a holiday. The politics of it for me wasn't my favorite part, just because I thought I would get more fluff. I enjoyed the author's ideas and how she created this magical world. Don't let that cute cover fool you, because there are some pretty spicy scenes in there. Which brings another little hiccup for me, I felt the characters read more as YA so when those scenes occurred, I felt a little uncomfortable, but that is maybe just a me problem. I still found them absolutely adorable together !

Overall, this was a very cute read with a fun and original storyline. The characters were great and the whimsical aspect just made for such a cozy and entertaining read.

🎧 The narration by Ellis Evans was great. He did a great job at voicing the characters and portraying the emotions. He made the story immersive, interesting and kept me engaged.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio, @bramble & @sararaasch for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have been seeing this on tiktok for MONTHS and was totally enthralled by the idea of it!! It's cozy and perfect for the general 'holiday' season (Halloween x Christmas?!?!) I LOVED this take on Santa's son and the 'rivals' bit...even if they were reluctant rivals at best! This book is definitely an adult romance and does include some steam!!

Honestly, saying a new book is like 'red white and royal blue' or some other popular series feels weird to me, and in this case untrue. This book is fun and entertaining in its own right, but that was misleading. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am excited for the rest of the series!!

I loved the audiobook! The narrator did a fantastic job and made the story so immersive.

I really enjoyed the book. It was a cute, funny, silly, and sexy story with a lot of heart. I loved all of the characters, especially Coal, Hex, Iris, and Kris. They were all so sassy.

However, I wasn't a fan of how descriptive the writing was at the beginning. It felt like every detail of every interaction was examined and written about. Despite this, I was drawn in by the plot and all the holiday lore and politics. Although the plots are very different, this book reminded me of the Princess Diaries movies.

I think fans of "The Assistant/Apprentice to the Villain" will also enjoy this book.

4.5 stars!!
You can not get any better than a queer Halloween meets Christmas romance. I laughed my entire way through this one but it still had so much joy and sweetness.
Sara Raasch you have yourself a new fan and I’ve already preordered the next book in the series.

Thank you 100 times over for the advanced listening copy. The narration was supreme, I think it’s one of the main reasons I loved the characters (obviously the writing is the other reason).

At its heart this story is about Nicholas, the Christmas prince, learning to stand up for himself and Christmas while relearning how to bring joy and why. Also trying not to lose his ever loving mind over the Halloween Prince, Hex.

I was not expecting this book to dive into a more behind the scenes corporate view of the holidays complete with deals, and lowering quality for more profits. It was an interesting take and one that actually emphasized the MC’s view on where true joy comes from. I loved the addition of the competitive sibling sleigh race, and the punny chat names. It made me laugh! Overall, I thought this story was cute and fun, but not sure if I’ll read the next one. The audio narrator did a great job!

3.5 rounded up to 4.

Thank you for the arc!
I had very mixed feelings about this book. I think the author did not balance the tones appropriately at all. I enjoyed the romance and the family story, but didn't feel like it meshed with the magic system at all. For asking me to care so much about the magic system, it was poorly fleshed out. The main character ran around saying Christmas is stealing joy, but with no tangible consequences for anything. I could never figure out WHY it mattered that Christmas was taking joy from other holidays, so the blackmail didn't hold up. It didn't make sense to me at all why the main characters stayed under Coal's father's thumb when it didn't seem to matter at all what they did. At the end, the blame for Coal's abusive father is tacked onto his wife leaving, which I didn't appreciate.
I did appreciate the sweetness of the romance and the family dynamics, especially the relationship between Coal and his brother. This relationship really carried the book, but it wasn't enough to make up for my frustration with the world building.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas is a steamy, tense, and heartfelt story of the Halloween Prince and the Christmas Prince falling in love as they both falsely vow for the Easter Princess’s hand in marriage. The banter and political intrigue is witty and quick, and it’s dripping in melodrama. It also has anticapitalist undertones which I loved.

I don’t think it was my vibe as much as I wanted it to be, I was hoping it was more Halloween related than Christmas but I feel that I would have enjoyed this more during the winter season!

A very silly premise turned into a pretty sweet book! I’ll be honest I went into this book very skeptical, and while I found it missing out on the holiday joy I was hoping for, despite surrounded by the holidays, it was still a solid rom-com. It was significantly enhanced by the narration, so kudos to the narrators!

Coal, the Prince of Christmas, is known for being a bit of a disaster. That’s the image the world sees, at least. After an especially epic f*** up—his heart was in the right place; he just didn’t think things through—he ends up in an intimate moment behind his favorite bar with a mysterious, but insightful stranger.

Fast forward and now we find Coal in the middle of a PR stunt orchestrated by his father, the King of Christmas, the Santa figure of today’s story. Coal is set to marry his best friend, ex-girlfriend’s younger sister, and brother’s crush, Iris, the Easter Princess.

Here’s the thing, though, Coal and Iris are willing to play their roles, but they don’t really want to marry each other.

And—PLOT TWIST!—when the King of Christmas invites the Prince of Halloween to also vie for Iris’s hand, Coal’s mysterious make out partner reenters the scene.

Oh gosh, I just loved this book so much.

In lieu of a full review, here’s a list of thoughts I had while reading the book:
- I adore this group chat!!!
- Oh hi, yes, you are very wise Halloween Prince
- Eeeeeee!
- Seriously, this is making me grin with the quick-witted banter
- I love Coal’s inner commentary
- Coal is such a cutie pie
- Oh my goodness, I love them!
- I like this portrayal of joy, its purpose and meaning, what brings it, and who has a right to it
- The communication during intimate moments 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
- One of my favorite things about fantasy is how it makes political discussions feel more palatable to readers. That extra layer of separation seems to make it easier to digest or discuss tough topics.
- Yay, warm fuzzies!

I listened to the audiobook version and feel like I’ve found a new favorite narrator in Ellis Evans. I loved how Evans captures the humor, vulnerability, burgeoning confidence, and emotion of the novel. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. Review opinions are my own.