I didn’t think I could like this more than The Nightmare Before Kissmas, but I was wrong! These books are such a fun premise with the rival holidays and what not and I throughly enjoy them so much. The banter in this book was just as top notch as the first one. Kris and Loch had so much chemistry and tension and I was rooting for them throughout. Idk if the change in Kris and Coal’s dad was totally believable considering how much of a butt he’s always been, but who am I to question it lol. I definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for fun, banter, M/M romance and a little bit of family drama/emotions. The mental health rep was done really well also!

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Will be posting to my Instagram before release day, and on Amazon and other retailers on release!

Sara Raasch is a master of taking a ridiculous premise and making it something absolutely amazing. This book is humorous, romantic, and deeply emotional all at once and it has no right to be as wonderful as it is with a plot revolving around magical people secretly in control of holidays.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the idea for this series shouldn't work--- AND YET, it does. I fell in love with Sara Raasch's world and characters with The Nightmare Before Kissmas, and was thrilled to read more about the Holiday Royals in Go Luck Yourself. The sexual tension, humour, and charm are exquisite! I devoured this book in 24 hours and have zero regrets.

I thought maybe I didn't like the first one because of the characters but trying to read this solidified that this author's writing is not good. It's a mix of trying to a serious fantasy novel and a silly tee hee fan fiction-style story. Half of the lore in the story doesn't even make sense!

Rating: 3.75/5 (Rounding up to 4)

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The chemistry and witty banter between Kris and Loch were delightful, and Sara Raasch’s humor added to the charm. The story was lighthearted, with no high stakes, making it a fun and easy read. I also appreciated the introspective character development Kris underwent—it felt well thought out and meaningful.

The only aspect that didn’t quite work for me was the sudden 180-degree shift in Kris and Coal’s dad’s character. It felt a bit far-fetched and lacked sufficient explanation. That said, since Kris and Coal themselves seemed just as confused, it almost felt like the reader was meant to experience that uncertainty alongside them.

I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a lighthearted rom-com with humor and heart.

I’m a sucker for cheesy holiday romances - and this one, set in the worlds of Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day, with an Irish-accented artist and a moody writer with a topknot - absolutely kicked ass in that regard. The sequel to the delightful Nightmare before Kissmass (which featured a man wearing a corset vest, that’s all you need to get me to read something), this follows Kris, the ‘spare’, brother to Santa Claus, and Loch, the shamed Prince of St. Patrick’s Day with a bad reputation. When Christmas discovers that St. Patrick’s Day has been stealing joy from them (the science of this is a little iffy, but eh, whatever), Kris volunteers himself to go visit the holiday and investigate. When he gets there, he discovers (to his horror) that the Prince is none other than the gorgeous, asshole student that he took his anger out on regarding a stolen study room. Did I mention that this Prince is hot? Because he is. What has Kris gotten himself into?

Drama abounds. Art, sex, running, food, whiskey, feelings, poetry, notebooks, familial issues, driving, kissing, did I mention drama and ridiculously hot sex scenes? Yeah, this book was even better than the first, and I couldn’t help falling in love with these two damaged, messed up, beautiful Princes, who just want to make a different and support their family. Ugh! Sara Raasch does it again and I will read anything she ever writes for the rest of time.

I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

CW: toxic/abusive parents

I really loved this book! I liked this more than the Nightmare Before Kissmas, which is saying a lot, because I also loved that one. I think the reason I liked this one more is because it has my favourite trope, enemies to lovers, and as the story progresses, you really see that Loch is a good guy, doing his best for his holiday. So, maybe not so much of an enemy as Kris first thought.

I also thought that the mental health rep was quite good in this, in that it felt realistic for someone who is in denial about their mental health challenges. Kris quite obviously has anxiety and has been struggling with his mental health since his mom abandoned their family when he was young.

Reading about the toxic parent(s) was really challenging. As a parent, I don't know how someone could ever treat their kids in that way, regardless of their age. I think that Raasch did a good job of showing how important it is for some people's mental health to create boundaries, even when it feels like those boundaries are being mean to the other person. I think she also did a good job of the importance of wanting to be better <i>for yourself</i>, in addition to wanting to be better for the person you love. Finding that special someone doesn't cure you, but they can help you and accept you, which is better anyway.

So many things to love about this book, and I absolutely can't wait for more in the series!

First of all, 10/10, five stars.

(Seriously, when is the sequel ever better? Well. Sara Raasch took that as a challenge, and here we are)

Sometimes when you're moving from one book to the next, and you're enduring a drastic POV shift, the story doesn't feel the same and suffers because of it. Seeing the character you had POV from in the first book can feel jarringly different. That was absolutely not the case here. Even though we shifted to Kris, the story feels grounded in the same universe. Coal and Hex and Iris all feel like the same characters we got to know in the first book, even through Kris's unique perspective. Go Luck Yourself picked up pretty quickly after Nightmare Before Kissmas ended, and the author doesn't miss a beat submerging us back into her rich world.

I loved it. I loved every minute of it. If you enjoyed Nightmare Before Kissmas, you'll be so happy with this sequel, I promise. Raasch's familiar use of witty narrative voice, the banter between all of the characters, and the endless amount of charm she managed to inject into the text group, is all so skillfully done. I had high expectations for this book, and it far surpassed them all.

I'll read Sara Raasch's shopping list, TBH.

Although I liked this book better than the first one, I still had a lot of issues with this book. While the romance felt realistic at the beginning, it had the insta love trope at the end which I did not like. I did not like the reveal at the end and it made me not want to root for the romance. The word “boyo” was used way too many times. I wish we got to see a lot more of the St. Patrick’s Day holiday events. Like the first book, I wish there was less political drama and more romance. However, I did like Kris as a main character a lot better than his brother Coal. I liked that his internal battles and his mental health was covered. He deserves better than Loch.

I loved this book so much!

I have never enjoyed a book in this way. The highs, and the spicy moments, were absolutely wonderful. But the lows? They were EVERYTHING. my favorite quote is from the last 15% and I had to put down my phone and let myself have a little cry. I related to Kris in so many ways.

Thank you for an advanced copy.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas was one of my favorite reads last year. Hex and Coal hold a special place in my heart, and I truly cannot gush enough about their story. So when I got a chance to read Go Luck Yourself early, I immediately jumped at the chance. And I was not disappointed, in fact, I liked it more than the first book!

This book expertly flips the script on the formula we saw in the first book. While Hex was the visitor to the Christmas kingdom, this story has Kris Claus on a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of St. Patrick's Day after they discovered someone was stealing their magic and left a single shamrock behind. However, Kris also finds out the Crown Prince of St. Patrick's Day is stuck in a scandal of Kris' doing - and has been hounded by the press that normally never paid any attention to him.

I cannot emphasize how much I adored the absolute pining of this book. Kris and Loch's move from enemies to lovers was realistic and angsty. Each of them is broken because of their parents, and as a result, are terrible at thinking about what they want. It was a common bond that showed exactly why they needed each other. Kris was so used to being the one to take care of everyone, that having someone take care of him made him feel seen. Loch is so used to his poor reputation, that he has no idea what to do when someone sees the real him. I have never screamed over holding pinkies as much as I did in this book, and I love how realistic their relationship was, despite the fact it was surrounded by magic.

In addition, I appreciated this take on St. Patrick's Day. It didn't shy away from some of the more problematic sides of the holiday, but it also allowed a lens to see it differently: that it's an important exploration of Irish culture and their strength and resistance against so many different factors across their history. I liked the different views of the holiday, and I appreciated how much research Sara Raasch clearly put into making sure all facets of it were shown accurately.

The mystery aspect of the book was also a nice twist to keep it from feeling like it was a copy of the first book. Not only did it add an extra layer of guilt for Kris, but it also led to some fascinating revelations about how the magical world the series takes place in works. I loved getting an explanation about how magic works, and how theft of magic was even possible. The way it seamlessly kept the plot moving while expanding the world so naturally was brilliant, and it reminded me of how special these holiday kingdoms are.

Sara Raasch has convinced me that she's an insta-buy author for me with the Royals and Romance series, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. And I hope she comes back to the world someday because Iris and Finn are right there practically begging to be their own book. And I would love to see them get the happily ever after they deserve.

I read the first novel in this series, “Nightmare before Kissmas”, and couldn’t wait until the second book was available. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC so my wait time was shortened.

“Go Luck Yourself” is the story of Kris Claus, younger brother of the new Santa, who is sent to Ireland to the castle of the St. Patrick’s Day royalty to find out who has been stealing Christmas joy. Kris has already had a run-in with Lochlann Patrick, St. Patrick’s Day prince, and when he arrives, sparks fly between the two. It is a solid enemies to lovers story. There is a lot of delightful banter and some sizzling love scenes, but one of the things I appreciated the most is how Raasch shows how the romance isn’t just based on lust and infatuation. Her characters are three-dimensional people who have their own issues to deal with in the course of the novel, and I like how the romantic partners support and lift each other. Both books in the series have been as much about the main characters discovering who they are and what they want out of life as they are about romance.

Fans of “Nightmare Before Kissmas” will be happy to know that Coal, Iris and Hex all show up in this book. We’re also introduced to Siobhan and Finn, Coal’s younger sisters. I’m hoping that Iris gets her chance at love in an upcoming novel.

It was even cringier than the first book and the word building still didn't make sense. I also really couldn't get over how the author wrote out what the love interest's Irish accent.

I loved the first book so I had high hopes for this one, and it didn’t disappoint! What an absolute delight. Anyone who needs a nice little silly, cozy, and a teeny-bit heartbreaking (and heartmending!) book needs to check this one out!

As someone who loved The Nightmare before Kissmas I was sooooo excited to get an arc for this AND get Kris’ story. I honestly loved all of the banter, the nick names, how we got to see Coal and Hex still, also Iris. The book feels like it’s set up like we can also get a story for Iris? The only thing I really struggled with was the writing for Loch when he is using his accent. Sometimes it would be easy to read but it was a lot to try and read everytime there was dialogue between them. I understand the way it’s wrote is to be immersive for him but just as a reader that was literally the only thing I struggled with in this book. Loch and Kris’ story is so sweet and I loved every second with them.

Oh my swooning heart, Go Luck Yourself is everything! The perfect follow up to The Nightmare Before Kissmas and my heart is so full after Kris’ story! Someone is stealing Christmas’ joy and only a shamrock is left as a clue, so as his brother restructures Christmas, Kris volunteers to investigate St. Patrick’s Day, only to run into his college nemesis Prince Lochlann Patrick, Crown Prince of St. Patrick’s Day. As they attempt to play nice, real chemistry starts to erupt and Kris is forced to reevaluate everything he thought. Oh Kris, oh my heart went out to him. He is so lost, he’s a people pleaser who pushes to make sure everyone is taken care of—everyone, but himself. His scanning of people’s emotions to keep things calm and okay is something I myself constantly am working on and to see it so clearly in character—I felt so seen. This book is a hug. It’s a happily every after. It’s a steamy enemies to lovers. It’s a story of friendship, of falling in love, of finding your path. It’s about being afraid and persevering in joy. I loved every single moment. The writing is funny and emotional. Kris and his brother Coal are fantastic, the other friendships throughout are amazing. Lochlan is sexy and broody. I loved how he was an artist, and he was jus the perfect balance to Kris. The banter throughout was perfect and some of the exchanges had me laughing out loud. It’s sexy, it’s sweet, it’s romantic. It’s everything!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.
As soon as I finished Nightmare Before Kissmas I knew I needed this one. Just as good as the first one if not better.
The humour was on point while also dealing with some more serious issues that young adults often face. I couldn't put it down until I was done. I'd be too scared to spoil anything else about the book if I talked about much outside of the synopsis but just know I was hooked from page one, especially because I already loved Kris from book 1.
Sara, anything else you write in this universe just know I will be first in line to order it/ try to snag an ARC just so I don't have to wait

This book follows Kris, the other Klaus brother as he comes to terms with feeling like he’s not useful. He’s the spare. Not to mention now that he’s come to realize he never actually was in love with Iris but just the idea of her and what their life would have been, what now? His brother is soon to be the new Santa and where does that leave him? He plans to finish university (even though it’s not for anything he actually wants to do) and go from there. His study routine is promptly interrupted by someone turning up in his preferred study room. And the guy is a hot jerk. So he uncharacteristically uses magic to fill the room with confetti. Turns out the hot jerk’s name is Loch and the prince of St. Patrick’s Day. Oh and someone from St. Patrick’s Day is not-so-secretly stealing magic from Christmas. So when Loch gets a bunch of bad press about being up to no good at college Kris and Coal come up with a plan for Kris, under the guise of making Loch look good to the tabloids, to stay with the Patricks to find out who is stealing the magic. And then feelings ensue.

I absolutely love Kris. Loch is fine, a bit too cocky for my tastes but he’s better than a lot of romantic interests. Kris’ insecurities really hit home, feeling un-useful is extremely relatable. He’s the responsible brother, planned for one thing most of his life and then when it didn’t pan out has to figure out what to do next. Loch’s sister’s were also great (I think I liked them more than Loch’s character) Raasch’s side character work is really amazing. I really hope the next installment is a romance between Easter Princess and St. Patrick Princess. We don’t see much of Coal and Hex and I appreciate that they didn’t over take Kris’ book. Because like I said, I absolutely love Kris.

The premise is just the right amount of ridiculous rom-com. Something about the way Raasch writes these stories just works for me. I’ve recently read a couple other novels described as romcoms and they didn’t work for me. I couldn’t tell you what it is because all three have ridiculous, unbelievable elements.

The romance gave me that swoony feeling in your stomach. You know what I mean. There was good banter, tension and a reasonable 3rd act conflict. The only thing that didn’t work for me was a bit of the “good boy” “I want you to be in charge, I’m submitting” but that is a very much a personal thing I struggle with, it’s something I find triggering based on things that have happened to me in my life.

But over all this was so freaking cute, it gave me fuzzy feelings and I can’t wait for Raasch’s next installment of the Royals and Romance series!

This was a delightful follow up from Raasch's The Nightmare Before Kissmas. It picks up from the end events of the first book, and immediately resolves some conflicts so the reader doesn't have to wait long. This story follows Kris, the other Christmas Prince, and the Prince of St. Patrick's Day, Loch. Their story had a bit of mystery and political intrigue, but was mostly full of passionate push-n-pull banter. I would recommend this book to reader's looking for fun holiday romcoms, with a bit of spice, that can be read outside of the winter holidays.

I have LOVED reading about this world! The politics and world building are so interesting. The characters are super well developed! The interactions between Coal, Kris, and Iris are so fun and realistic. Also the humor in these books is top TIER!!

I must say, the angst between Kris and Loch was *chefs kiss*. I adored the love story between Coal and Hex, but the angst won me over this time!

All in all, I adore this series and cannot wait for more books by Sara Raasch!

Iris better be the next book PLEASEEE