Patrick and Quinn are poor communicators. In their first year of marriage, they struggle to tell each other how they feel. On Christmas Eve, they have a fight, and while Quinn is sleeping, Patrick accidentally attacks Santa Claus.

Naturally, Santa quits, and Quinn and Patrick are whisked away for a trial year in the North Pole as Santa Patrick and the Merriest Mister. It is a year of rediscovering themselves and their love and what they both want out of their future.

This was a cute book, but I dislike miscommunication tropes and that's what this all boiled down too in the end. I appreciate the ARC!

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it delivered Joy and laughter. The merriest misters find out that Santa is real just as he quits for good. Soon chaos ensues as they are rushed into finishing Christmas and flown to the north pole. So much happens in this book but both husbands find themselves and the Christmas spirit by the end. A great read!

3 Out Of 5 Star

It was okay. Just your basically Christmas Romance Novel. Worth the read if you only read Christmas Romance in December.

I’m either a hit or miss with Timothy’s books, and it seems like his Christmas ones are the biggest green flags for me. I love them so so much! The Grinch one is still my favorite, but this one was still very good too.

I waited a long time to read this because I wasn’t in the mood for Christmas stuff just yet when it released, but when I finally was, I ATE this up! It was so good. And I have to say, I am so excited for people to read this one. If you’ve seen The Santa Clause trilogy with Tim Allen and loved it like I did, you will get that same magic from this story. It was so much fun.

I will say I was a bit weirded out about the romance because…. I mean, dude is who he becomes and stuff and I just felt weird about that. But then again, I have read a book with smut and a Santa soooooo (please no judgement) But idk. It was weird to think about. I appreciated that Janovsky really only made it them do things like touches and they kept getting interrupted. I imagine he thought some might feel the same way lol

I LOVED the characters tho. I was a little mad at the person who becomes that person at the beginning of the story. But he definitely took responsibility for the things that happened that were his fault. The other husband started out good for me, but made me mad the more it went. Why? Because he was so confused at the end? SPOILER: He didn’t want him to do something so he did what he did….. And then when the other person said I figured it out, he said ok END SPOILER I just didn’t think he was making any sense.

The holiday part of this was so cute! This is definitely one of the books that help me remember why I love holiday romances. There is so much Christmas cheer in this one and it felt so cozy and comfortable. And the way the elves were so inclusive and loving to the Other Mister completely warmed my heart. I LOVED the way they made them realize that the laws were outdated and they needed to be revamped. If everyone in the world made it that easy to be inclusive to everyone, the world would be a much better place. Fitting that this magic happened in the North Pole because these idiots down here would never.

This book was hella fun. I really hope this y’all read this. And then go and watch The Santa Clause. You will definitely be in the mood for it after you finish. So much fun and so much love. I hope y’all love it too!

Narrator(s): Mark Sanderlin| Zach Barela
Length: 10h 7m
Source: ALC - NetGalley, Macmillan Audio
Release Date: AVAILABLE NOW
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Described as 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 meets 𝘏𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭, The Merriest Misters is a festive holiday story with queer love and an agsty plot.

Patrick and Quinn are newlyweds struggling at the end of their first year married.
Add in a mishap on Christmas Eve and a bit of North Pole magic and you end up with this fun, heartwarming, honest love story between two men fighting the push and pull of life to save their marriage.
It was okay.

However, I need my holiday reads to be merry and bright and while this one was a bit festive…considering the plot, the heavy romantic turmoil between Patrick and Quinn left me feeling bummed a bit.

Patrick is obsessed with making his family proud and Quinn just goes along with everything.
Quinn felt very one-dimensional until the end.
I really liked Patrick for most of the book but he was a bit TOO obsessed with pleasing others.
There were zero steamy times, which is okay, but it didn’t help the romance at all either.

Let’s just say these two have a prolonged separation that works out in the end, but again, I want my holiday reads to be happy and I left this one feeling like maybe Patrick and Quinn shouldn’t be together. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Narration:
I’m unfamiliar with these narrators but whoever voiced Quinn had a rather unorthodox voice.
Higher pitched and sometimes it sounds like that pitch would fluctuate more than it should.
I adored Patrick’s narrator and will admit his narration aided in me finishing this one!

{I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. All reviews are my own.}

The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky was the perfect seasonal read to get started.
With holiday cheer and a dash of nostalgia for The Santa Clause, I dove into The Merriest Misters looking for a festive escape, and it didn't disappoint.
My first Janovsky book, I was immediately charmed by Quinn's witty narration and the warmth he and Patrick still share, even as life has worn down their relationship.
Janovsky's take on the "marriage-on-the-rocks" trope brings humor and heart to their magical holiday journey, balancing holiday fun with real emotional depth. The flashbacks add just the right context to their story, and the third-act separation felt meaningful, giving Quinn and Patrick space for real self-reflection and growth.
For me, the most touching moments were the glimpses of family bonds-Patrick reading his brother's childhood letter to Santa even brought me to tears. Overall, The Merriest Misters is a delightful, heartfelt holiday read that reminds us that happiness is unique for everyone, and that's perfectly okay.

Quinn and Patrick are in their first year of marriage, and they are struggling. Neither of them is happy with their jobs, their relationship is on shaky ground, and they aren’t communicating about it. On Christmas Eve, a mysterious stranger unexpectedly appears in their kitchen, gets knocked out, and then quits his job as Santa Claus. Patrick steps in to take on the role of Santa, and Quinn decides to help, unaware of how this experience will change their lives.

This story has strong "The Santa Claus" vibes, focusing on the journey of becoming Santa and Ellis, the "Merriest Mister" (Mrs. Claus as a man) while adapting to life at the North Pole. It resembles a couples therapy session but is set in a perpetually cold environment.

I am uncertain about how much I enjoyed this book. I liked Quinn, but I found it hard to connect with Patrick. Quinn displays a level-headed demeanor, yet his emotions and trauma seem to be overlooked and diminished. We hear more about Patrick's traumas, his healing, and his journey toward self-acceptance than we do about Quinn's experiences. Additionally, their relationship feels toxic to me. They are a sweet couple during good times, but they lack communication. Throughout the story, neither character expresses what they're truly feeling; even at the end, there is no conversation about their struggles. While they say, "I love you," and compliment each other, important discussions about job dissatisfaction, workplace homophobia, and major life decisions are neglected.

The early years of marriage can be tough as couples learn to navigate each other’s space, and this narrative effectively portrays the challenging aspects of a relationship, even amid wonderful moments. I enjoyed the enchanting atmosphere of the North Pole, the council, and the overall world-building. However, I was not enamored with the couple itself. They are both fascinating individuals, each with compelling stories and ideas, and they excel on their own. Still, when they share scenes, the chemistry I hoped for was lacking. On a positive note, the narrators did an excellent job of conveying the characters' personalities beautifully.

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.

✨ 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

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! The narrators were truly wonderful and really made the story come alive!

A heartfelt, fun, second chance, marriage in trouble, dual POV, queer holiday romance that was a perfect take on The Santa Clause movie that explored one couples' anxieties about growing apart and finding their way back to one another over Christmas when they get tasked with taking on the role of Santa and his 'Merriest Mister.' This was cute but not one I would go out of my way to recommend. The audio narration by Mark Sanderlin and Zach Barela was well done, especially for two fairly new narrators. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Fans of Sara Raasch's The nightmare before kissmas won't want to miss this one!

This book was so much fun. Janovsky took the plot of “The Santa Clause”, made it gay, and added a dash of marriage in trouble. I loved it! The beginning scenes and the world-building of the North Pole were my favorite parts.

There was a bit of dissonance between the lighthearted tone of the magical realism plot and Patrick and Quinn’s struggle to decide whether to salvage their marriage. It worked for the most part: that’s how life is, the good with the bad. Be warned though that some themes may feel too heavy for a Christmas romance! The third-act breakup felt very true-to-life, allowing both men time apart to decide what they each needed without the other’s influence.

This is Janovsky’s second holiday novel (check out my review of You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince), and I’m looking forward to more from him in the future.

The audiobook performance was great. It really added to the whimsy of the book, and I didn't want to press pause.

I do have to say, though… What year is it, 1990? Why is Patrick hand-drafting?? Computers make everything easier, my friend. Also at his level, he’d probably have underlings and interns to do the tedious drafting for him.

This was a fun, fluffy holiday read. I love a marriage in crisis story, but, for me, the expected emotion was missing with this one. I didn't FEEL the conflict, nor did I feel the emotional connection. The characters were kind of flat and one dimensional, and I just couldn't connect with them. If you like fluffy predictable holiday Hallmark movies, this one may work better for you than it did for me.

The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky

Patrick and Quinn haven’t even been married a year and they can feel the cracks in their domestic life…. It’s Christmas eve and Patrick has hit Santa and now he has quit. It’s up to Patrick and Quinn to save Christmas and they both sign on to stay at the north pole for one year but what do you call a man who is stepping into Mrs. Claus’s shoes?

This is too cute for words. A gay couple struggling in their marriage but a change of scenery doesn't really fix the issues. The book gives a rather glaring viewpoint that sometimes love isn’t enough. It has a HEA so don’t panic but it wasn’t the ending I wanted.

I love that Patrick learned the kind of husband he was and that Quinn found a way to advocate for himself, that was super heartwarming.

I would adore christmas every day, I would love to be Mrs. Claus! The snow… well I could do without that but this book was so full of Christmas, that it sent me down a christmas book rabbit hole.

The book comes from both POV and I did prefer Quinn’s tone but the book really was enjoyable. Loved the audio.

4 stars

This was a sweet fun read. It did such a good job balancing the magic of Christmas with the deeper lessons and character growth. If you are looking for a merry good time this holiday season this is the book for you.

This was a cute look at the struggles we bring into marriage and how sometimes the choices we make for our marriage have to look different from the choices other couples make. It's probably more of a 3.5, and the ending fizzled a bit for me, but it was overall a cute, fun holiday read.

I was beyond excited to check out the newest holiday theme book from Timothy Janovsky. Last year, I read Your Mean One Matthew Prince, which was a book that I really enjoyed. So, I had to read The Merriest Mister next.
I was hoping that I would enjoy this novel, but in the end, it left me disappointed and wanting something more. I thought this novel would be like Tim Allen’s The Santa Claus, but make it gay and add in a bickering couple. Instead, what I got was one second of them delivering presents and a sad marriage.
Don’t get me wrong, I knew that this novel was going to be about their marriage that was on the verge of divorce. I was expecting to see growth or something from the couple. I could understand both Patrick and Quinn’s side and the reason why they grew frustrated with each other. Although Patrick has a great heart, he is selfish and is so determined to make his parents proud that he would ignore how his parents treat Quinn. Meanwhile, Quinn doesn’t speak up, which causes misunderstandings within their marriage. I was really hoping to see them grow closer, which they did, but it felt forced, and maybe it was because of the lack of chemistry I felt between the two of them.
Now I don’t want to say this novel was bad, because there was still some parts I enjoyed. How Quinn slowly started to stop pretending to be someone else to him, connecting to a certain elf and teaching them to be themselves too. I also enjoyed Patrick and his brother’s relationship and how they were both mistaken about how the other person was.
I also listen to this novel as an audiobook, and I have to say that Mark Sanderlin and Zach Barela did a great job at narrating the novel. The audiobook was easy to follow, even when it switches from different POV or the flashbacks.
Now if you are looking for a cute holiday romance, check it out, but if you are looking for something that is like The Santa Claus, then maybe watch the movie instead.

A special thanks to Netgalley and MacMillian for a copy for this audiobook for a honest review!


This novel will be included in my 25 days of holiday books that will be taking place on tiktok durning the month of december!

The Merriest Mister is a cute and lighthearted read, perfect for the holiday season. The playful tone and charming characters brought warmth and cheer to the story. However, some chapters felt a bit longer than necessary, causing the pacing to slow down at points. Despite this, the overall experience was enjoyable, and the whimsical plot kept me engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this delightful book!

Why isn’t this a holiday movie yet?? A gay couple is strugg With transitioning from fun date life to married…bliss? But it’s not so easy and as their first official Christmas comes around there might be criminal charges instead of eggnog. The two narratives are well done by two excellent voice actors who hopefully weren’t offended (like I was) at the stereotypical shallow “queen” representation of characters deserving of more. I would love to see Pat & Quinn again in another novel, still humorous, but with more growth.