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

A delightful follow up to a fun queosy rom-com. Could have done with a little more discussion of the primary antagonist, but the whole novel was a delight to read.

**e-ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**

I got this ARC yesterday and devoured it in a single sitting! Just like *The Nightmare Before Kissmas* (another excellent book by the same author), “Go Luck Yourself” was perfect in every way! The pacing was quick yet steady, the characters were unique and lovable, and the plot had unexpected depth, exploring some deep and meaningful topics. I laughed a lot and cried a great deal, but it all led to the most perfect ending. I've already started rereading it!

TL;DR
I would tell anyone who likes queer romance to read this.
Like the first book in the Royals and Romance series (The Nightmare Before Kissmas), I couldn’t put this one down. Seriously, I know the storyline might seem a little corny, but this is such a good read! The plot keeps moving, the scenery and imagery are fabulous, the characters are lovable and funny, and the writing is great.

The Writing
This is one of those books I want to own and mark up in pen so I can underline the sentences that stop and make me read them again. Sara Raasch's prose is witty and delightful. Her insightful character development is both relatable and eye-opening. I really enjoyed Kris’s introspective evolution and the treatment of tough subjects like emotional abuse and self discovery.

The premise and setting felt less campy than in the first book of the series, but maybe because there were so many Christmas Hallmark movies to fuel my imagination for the first one and there aren’t too many St. Patrick's Day versions. I still enjoyed every minute of it.

Humor
I laughed out loud a lot while reading this, and I want to be friends with all these characters,
Kris and Cole remind me of Alex Clairmont-Diaz in Red White and Royal Blue, whose internal monologue is one of my all time favorites. Raasch’s irreverent humor is clever and spot on.

Romance
Excellent MM romance with lot’s of queer representation and great spicy scenes. The timeline moved a little too quickly for me on this one, but I personally prefer a slow burn romance to a whirlwind type.

Huge thank you to Tor Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me the arc of Go Luck Yourself for this review!

When I read "Nightmare Before Kissmas" I fell in love with the characters. Seeing them again in "Go Luck Yourself" brings me so much joy. 🙂 The two brothers, Cole and Kris, and sidekick Iris are back but this time the focus is on Kris. When It is discovered that St Patrick's Day has been siphoning joy from Christmas, Kris goes to Ireland to find the culprit under the guise of an apology for making Prince Loch a laughingstock in Ireland. The St Patrick's Day court was led to believe Prince Loch was an irresponsible nitwit by his Uncle, who stole the crown from him. While on his secret mission will Kris find his own joy and in the process help Prince Loch regain his reputation and save St Patrick's Day? @sara_raasch #mmromance #stpatricksday #romance #romcom #glbtq #bookstagram #goluckyourself #NetGalley

When I heard about this book and was lucky enough to get an arc of it, let me tell you that I started reading it IMMEDIATELY- and boy am I glad I did.

In the second book in the Royals and Romance series, we focus on Kris (the younger of the princes of Christmas), who is feeling a little *uninspired* in life- both at university and with his role in Christmas as well. The saddest thing about Kris is that he thinks that if he doesn't provide value to people, they will leave him (which breaks my heart). Luckily (pun intended), when someone steals magic from Christmas and a shamrock is left behind, it falls on Kris to go to Saint Patrick's Day as a diplomatic mission (as well as trying to figure out if they stole Christmas's magic and why).

In Ireland, we meet Loch - prince, should be King, of Saint Patrick's Day but also someone Kris fought and pranked over a study room- and his two sisters. Once in Ireland, everything changes. Kris sees how other holidays work, he realizes the issues associated with Saint Patrick's Day, and he starts to fall for Loch- which is something he doesn't need right now (but actually does he?)

If my first sentence didn't make it clear, I adore this book and this series so much. Not only are the romcoms absolutely perfect, but there is also so much depth to the characters and what they're going through. In this book, Kris is dealing with abandonment issues and also an insecure attachment type because he is so scared of being left behind. Loch is dealing with negative self-talk- stemming from a family member making him think those things are true in the first place (which they aren't). Even though the world may seem fantastical because it's about the magical courts of holidays, the characters are so down to earth, grounded, and real... I can see these people existing in real life (outside of the holiday magic).

I cannot recommend these books enough and as long as Sara Raasch writes them, I will absolutely devour these books and put them on my bookshelf to reread when I need to believe in love again.

I am obsessed with Nightmare Before Kissmas and this sequel was just as fun! I loved seeing Kris learn to be himself and seeing him and Loch spar was really fun. I loved their banter as well as seeing great group text banter like we got in the first one.

This series is witty with a really unique magic system and I am obsessed. I can't wait to read Iris' book and see what is up next with the holiday royals. You know someone is a talented writer when they can write a book about magical holiday royalty that also makes you think about consumerism and righting political wrongs.

"Go Luck Yourself" by Sara Raasch is a spicy, heartfelt gem that balances sizzling chemistry with genuine emotional depth. What I loved most was how the characters confronted their traumas and worked through their issues, not just individually but in a way that allowed them to truly connect.

The sibling banter between Coal and Kris was a delightful highlight, adding moments of levity and authenticity that made their bond feel real. And let’s talk about Kris and Loch—their connection was electric yet tender. Watching them peel back the layers, embracing not just the shiny parts but the messy, complicated whole, made their romance all the more rewarding.

With its sharp dialogue, emotional reflections, and fiery intimacy, this book is as much about healing and self-discovery as it is about love. A must-read for fans of steamy romance with depth!

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