.3.5/4. I received an ARC audiobook-my thanks to the publisher. Cozy story-has that Hallmark vibe to it, totally crazy scenario about Santa and magic, I enjoyed the North Pole details and the sweet queer love story. This book was enhanced by two great narrators.

This adorable second chance romance focuses on aspiring architect Patrick Hargrave and his adorable husband, second grade teacher Quinn Muller. Nearing a year of marriage, their relationship is suffering from Patrick's long hours and secret-keeping and Quinn's passive role. After a string of bad luck caused by Patrick's own choices, Patrick and Quinn struggle to even stay in the same room. When Patrick inadvertently causes Santa Claus to quit on Christmas Eve, Patrick sees an opportunity - to save Christmas, save his career, and save his marriage. Quinn isn't as excited, but he will do anything to preserve his marriage.

I'm going to be 100% honest. This book should have been entirely up my alley, I consume cheesy Christmas themed romance movies and books like a fiend. This started great, I was so ready for our gay married couple in trouble to find themselves in a crazy magical situation and fix their marital issues. However every step forward seemed to have a step back, they didn't communicate well, seemed to have majorly different life goals and in the end the solution is one would live in the Northpole visiting we very so often and the other would return to his old life and be happy to recieve love letters and occasional visits. I think it's supposed to be a non-traditional end, but it just didn't feel like a romance when all was said and done, which was what I signed up for

An absolutely charming novel that throws some Christmas magic at you when you least expect. I listened to the audio books, which was masterfully narrated but I suspect the printed novel is just as enjoyable.

This was oddly exactly what I expected and nothing like I expected all at the same time. There were cute and heartfelt moments, of course lots of Christmas and character growth throughout.

A twist on The Santa Clause with a focus on love and people and ever changing relationships. It has a nice balance between current day and flash backs to set the scene. I think the narrators did a wonderful job depicting each character and made the book come to life. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

Not many books spotlight a marriage that's hit a rough patch, and out of the few I've read, this has to be my favorite. The dual POV was perfectly executed, and I really appreciated the different narratives of their relationship and experiences. The magical element wasn't overdone but an element in the background that really bought out the best in the visual experience. Coming from a culture where arranged marriages are the norm, I had a very romantic idea of what love marriage felt like, and this vision was only encouraged by rom coms with HEAs. (I'm still unmarried). This book really questioned that perception, showing how any relationship can have hard times, and that work needs to be put in to heal it. The resolution to this story was not what I expected, but I loved it all the same.

This was a unique, fun Christmas read!

I listened to the audiobook and I thought both narrators really captured their character really well. They both did a great job at their own characters, well also managing to make whenever the voiced the opposite character in their chapter work well.

I thought Patrick and Quinn were both good characters, and liked that they could actually be frustrating and unlikable at times. It made them seem more real to have flaws. I could have probably done with a bit less miscommunication, but it wasn’t to the point that I would stop reading. I don’t think the side characters were really fleshed out enough, which is too bad because I would have loved to see more of Blizzard and Patrick’s brother.

The ending did not end how I thought it would, but I appreciate that it was showing that marriages and relationships don’t have to all work the same way.

Overall this was a cute, Christmas romance and I loved all the queer representation.

I didn't love or hate this book it was just meh. I thought the premise was cute (I love Christmas) and enjoyed the banter. However, I found Patrick to be so selfish and it seemed like him and Quinn hid so much from each other it makes me wonder if they were really meant to be. How did Patrick not notice or ask Quinn why he had changed so much since beginning of relationship? And also Patrick's mom treats Quinn borderline disrespectfully and it's never really addressed. That being said I did enjoy Quinn growing into himself throughout the book.

I’ll take this version of The Santa Clause permanently. When Patrick and Quinn find themselves in a pickle as the new Santa Clause and the Merriest Mister, the inadequacies of their relationship are suddenly insistently magnified forcing them to address who they are independently, as a couple, and as a son/brother. I enjoyed their self discovery throughout the story and loved watching them realize how strong their bond truly was. I didn’t love the miscommunication and dishonestly that led them to be in their situation to begin with. While it was all relatable (saying things you think your partner wants to hear, being who you think your in-laws want you to be, assuming instead of asking, not correcting wrong assumptions, etc.), it’s just not my favorite story driver, and this story relied heavily on it. That aside, I found this story to be low stakes and extremely sweet. The audiobook was really easy to listen to. The narrators were great and I felt that matched their characters impeccably. I think it’s a perfect story for scratching a Christmas itch without going over the top Christmas.

Thank you to NetGalley, Timothy Janovsky, and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC.

Patrick and Quinn have been married for less than a year, and the romance is starting to fizzle out. Until, on Christmas Eve, Patrick accidentally almost kills Santa Claus. They now have to replace him for the rest of the night... and longer. So they will have to make their marriage work for at least a year to run the toy shop and attend other Santa duties until next December 25 in order to save Christmas... and their marriage.
This is a MM, marriage in trouble romance with magical realism. It made me think a lot of The Santa Clause (the movie). I loved the dual timeline/POVs. I also loved how Quinn appropriates himself the Mrs. Claus wardrobe! This deals a lot with family issues/judgement, and I really enjoyed it, although I would've prefered it was resolved in a deeper way than barely brushed over. This was a very fun Christmas read (and now I want to watch The Santa Clause so bad!).
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Merriest Misters has me anxiously looking at my holiday decorations in late August. I was gifted this ALC by Macmillan Audio and NetGalley and it truly is a joy to listen to. While the description may come off as “The Santa Clause”, Patrick and Quinn’s stories dive deeper into coping with familial expectations, finding your own identity when you’re now part of a married couple, and the burden and excitement with following your dreams. Along with Patrick and Quinn, Janovsky and the narrators bring you with them in a journey of suspending your disbelief and embracing magic-and finding the magic in an everyday life that had grown stale. This is one book where I really think I would enjoy the audiobook over hard copy as I feel like the narrators really embody their characters. Thanks to Macmillan audio for choosing me for this ALC!

2.5⭐️

I was so excited for this holiday romcom, but sadly, it did not work for me. I loved the Santa Clause inspiration and it was fun getting transported to the winter wonderland of the North Pole, but I found myself often frustrated with Patrick and Quinn.

For the majority of the book, it felt like the characters were talking around each other and never being direct with their feelings and hopes. I didn’t appreciated how Patrick would make decisions on behalf of himself and Quinn without ever having a conversation - hosting Christmas, buying a house, loss of employment, becoming Santa, and staying in the North Pole. I understood why Quinn would want space to process the hurt of not feeling like an equal partner in their relationship.

With a lack of growth from Patrick and a lack of communication from Quinn and Patrick for the entirety of the book, I didn’t find myself rooting for their HEA, which makes me so sad.

Also, I didn’t appreciate how Quinn’s mother ostracized and emotionally manipulated him - ignoring Quinn because he was in a relationship and married and she felt unneeded was not okay and demonstrated her emotional immaturity.

I enjoyed the dual narration of the audiobook and appreciated the flashbacks, which gave more context to Quinn and Patrick’s love story.

I enjoyed the plot of the book and even the "how" of the new direction coming about.
The first bits are all very fun and exciting and I adored how this new adventure gave fresh life to the monotony of a relationship that deserved more.
Quinn & Patrick are superb and I was rooting for them the whole time.
It gets a bit sad in the middle, but don't fret, there is an HEA.
Overall it's a lot of fun to read and to join the characters rediscovery of love.
Much love to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio for my ARC's.

Timothy Janovsky does it again! I have enjoyed each of his stories. He always creates characters with depth and knows how to tell a story.

Narrators: The two narrators chosen for this story did an excellent job voicing their respective characters and telling this story. They felt right to tell this story.

Story: This story is told in dual POV, which is always a favorite for myself. This story does include flashbacks from the start of the couple's relationship to present. The author does a good job of transitioning past to present, but also when it is a character's voice.

Throughout this story we see how the couple individually figure out who they are and what makes them happy, but also fall in love again. I enjoyed reading about their growth while having fun in the North Pole. The magic around Christmas comes to life through this story.

This book felt like a take on the Santa Clause, but with Newlyweds. I highly recommend this book for the holidays.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

It took me a bit to get used to the inflection and timbre of the narrators in this dual POV audiobook. After about 10% I was off and listening. The audiobook really made this book come to life.

this was truly a joy to read. It reminded me of The Santa Claus with Tim Allen but make it queer and i adored that.

There are deep themes of fixing a marriage on the brink of divorce, so protect your mental health if that is a hard subject for you.

I found myself just feeling joyous and like i was being given a warm hug while reading this.

I can really think of anything i didn’t really enjoy about this book - the characters are likable and you want to root for them, the story plot was cute and fun, and it was a quick easy read.

If you want something that’s more lighthearted and sweet, i would definitely recommend this! 🎅🏼

I really enjoyed the narration of this! It definitely added to the overall story - the emotion was top tier and i really loved the characters they brought to life.

I will admit I am a sucker for a "Santa is real" story and The Merriest Misters is one of the best I've listened to in a while. Main characters Quinn and Patrick are both lovely men and author Timothy Janovsky shows us their strengths, vulnerabilites and the depth of their love for each other. Their relationship is truly the heart of the story. The journey of each man is wrapped up in Christmas fantasy and fun. I loved Janovsky's Christmas world and how the magic works there. The minor characters were all well-drawn and likable. At a certain point, I began reading more slowly because I knew that the "dark moment" was coming and I just did not want to see these guys get their hearts broken. That's how much I related to them. However, the dark moment had to happen eventually and all was resolved most satisfactorily after a good cry and a few more chapters. While the cover makes this book look like a lot of fun and fluff, don't be fooled. It is fun but It's more like a warm cup of homemade soup that fills you up and nourishes you when you really need it. I come from a conservative small town so I know that many people out there are still hestitant to pick up a book starring a same-sex couple. If you are one of those people, this could be a good place to jump in. This is a "closed door" romance. While there are many signs of affection shown between Quinn and Patrick, there are no graphic sex scenes. Plus, the men's characters are so well developed it is natural to think of them as individuals rather than "gay men." Finally, in this audio edition, I enjoyed that Quinn and Patrick each had their own narrator. The story is told from their alternating points of view. Mark Sanderton and Zach Barela did an excellent job of personifying Patrick and Quinn. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are a Christmas fiction fan, (and I know you are otherwise you wouldn't still be reading this review) you need to add this to your keeper shelf.

The Santa Clause is my favorite Christmas movie, so when I saw that The Merriest Misters was a take on that, with a twist, I was immediately in.

I loved the romance in this book because it felt so realistic. I think most married couples can relate to the troubles Patrick and Quinn are facing in their marriage; a deep, passionate love, buried under all the responsibilities and stresses of day to day life. I appreciated how the flashback memories helped to illustrate to us as the reader exactly how Patrick and Quinn had found themselves where they are, as they came to the realizations of where they may have gone wrong and how to fix things.
I also adored that the way they found their way back to each other romantically, was via a one way frying pan smack and reindeer sleigh ride into becoming Santa and the very first Merriest Mister.
All the depictions of The North Pole and all its magic was adorable and exactly what I would want the daily life of Santa’s home to look like.
The third act separation, while not my favorite, was also refreshing because it actually served a purpose in this story. I also enjoyed how the time apart was utilized not only to self reflect regarding their marriage, but their family issues as well. Seeing those resolved was nearly as satisfying as them living there happily ever after.

The Merriest Misters is a sweet, heartwarming Christmas story full of magic and happiness that I really enjoyed. I’m absolutely interested in reading the author’s other work now that I loved this one so much.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC via NetGalley.
Publication date 10/1/24

Had the merriest time. 🎄 This book wrapped me in the holiday warmth I’ve been craving as summer winds down. 🤪

While it delivers all the cozy vibes, it also hits home with more serious themes like:

🎄 Marriage in Crisis
🎄 Role Reversal
🎄Communication in a relationship
🎄 Power of personal growth
🎄 Societal expectations
🎄 Holiday Spirit

Ever wonder what it would be like to run Santa’s workshop while trying to save your marriage?

We follow Patrick and Quinn, who find their marriage on shaky ground under the pressures of life. A chance encounter on Christmas Eve uproots them to the North Pole, where they’re thrown into new roles that test their love and resilience. Janovsky cleverly balances the challenges of early marriage with deeper themes, all set against the backdrop of festive cheer. The dual narration in the audiobook kept me engaged throughout. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, and these thoughts are entirely my own.