The Nightmare Before Kissmas is a delightful and heartwarming queer romcom that blends holiday magic, royal politics, and sizzling romance.

It follows Nicholas (Coal) Claus, Prince and Heir of Christmas who used to love Christmas until his father, the reigning Santa, turned their holiday into PR facade and cheap commodity. Coal, known for being irresponsible and always joking, tried to do something good once, but it ended in disaster.

Ever since, he’s kept a low profile. When his farther suddenly announced his engagement with his best friend, Iris - Princess of Easter, who is crush of his younger brother- Kris, Coal is determined to find an escape. But then Prince of Halloween, Hex Hallow, challenges Christmas for Iris’s hand. Hex is also the same man Coal kissed in a drunken stupor two years ago, a moment Coal has never been able to forget.

As Coal and Hex spend more time together, their attraction becomes undeniable. Amidst their growing chemistry, Coal uncovers a manipulative scheme by his father that goes against everything Christmas should stand for. Now, Coal must decide how to navigate this fake engagement, confront his father’s deception, and figure out what his relationship with Hex means for both his holiday and his heart.

I loved the concept of Holidays royals with seasonal Holidays having their court and playing politics, and their power comes from how much more joy it creates. And of course, Christmas is big and powerful Holiday.

Writing is engaging and fun with lots of banter, Christmas jokes and puns, Christmas activities, sizzling chemistry and mild politics and tension. Themes of healing, grief, courage, and standing up for what’s right are central to the narrative. I rooted for main characters from the beginning.

Coal is a smart, fun-loving character who hides his real emotions behind a joking façade. He deeply cares about Christmas but struggles with self-doubt and fear of failure. His vulnerability, his longing for his father’s love, and the hurt caused by his mother’s abandonment is touching.

It was amazing how meeting Hex and being with him healed the hurt he felt from his parents, how his love for Hex bought out the best quality in him, take responsibility of undoing the damage his Holiday did so far, find courage within him to stand up for what he believes in and fight for his Holiday and people he loved.

Hex was broody, serious, mysterious and responsible, exactly opposite of Coal. He didn’t wanted to marry Iris but was in competition for his Holiday. I loved how put together he is throughout the book. He is wise, observant and dedicated to his Holiday and his love for his holiday and family shines through out the book. I didn't understand why he was helping Coal until the reason was revealed in the climax and after knowing his full story, I liked him even more.

What I loved the most is friendship and sibling relationship. Bond between Coal and Kris was like twins. It was amazing how they understood each other. Kris is caring and brilliant, always stands with Coal in all situation and Coal is protective of Kris. The way their parents separation changed their family dynamic and impacted their relationship was touching.

Iris plays a key role in their dynamic. She is as funny as Claus brothers but is always compliant, keeping her image clean by never rebelling no matter how much royal politics hurt her. But I liked her for pushing Hex and Coal together and for standing with Coal in his plans. Their dynamics, group chats, and banter reminded me of Red, White and Royal Blue.

Romance is a kind of insta lust/love but I liked that author took time to develop. Chemistry between Hex and Coal is sizzling and sexy. There were many lovely moments between them. I especially loved those almost kissing scenes during the Christmas activities. All those scenes felt magical.

Climax is predictable and I was expecting it happening as soon as Coal put forth his plan but I wasn’t expecting it resulting in third act break up and the reason was unexpected. I mean one moment they were sure about their relationship and next one chickening out. But I liked how things changed after that.

End is satisfying with Coal finally standing up to his father, Hex coming to his senses, and Kris finally coming out with his feelings but that was kept behind the scene and I know why after reading the snippet of the next book.

Overall, The Nightmare Before Kissmas is an engaging, heartwarming, and magical Holiday themed queer romance with an amazing concept and lovable characters.

This is one of my favorite holiday books of the year! Not only did it give cute and cozy vibes; it also had the perfect amount of social commentary regarding politics and capitalism.

I love Coal so much. His emotions bleed through the pages, making me feel the range of emotions he felt. The representation throughout the novel was also something I adored. For example, Hex is Latine, his mom represents Dia de los Muertos and he goes to university in Mexico. There is also wonderfully, chaotic bi-rep that had me squealing with delight. If you like spice with your romance, this is sprinkled throughout and is done with the utmost consent presented by both parties.

Overall, it's a fun and thought-provoking holiday read that will squeeze your heart in the best of ways!

This was adorable!!!!!! The perfect holiday read. I will def be reading more from this author. Doing a reread in December so I will add to my review as well


I am still so obsessed and so ready for the next one

I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. I love how it was laid out and the implications of what has happened in this one.
It did read a bit slow in the beginning but once it picked up it was really enjoyable.
The audio was enjoyable and the narrators added to the characters.

I got this for the fun quirky romance and walked out with interesting sociopolitical discussion and I want more.

I loved the angst between Coal and Hex. Sara did an amazing job building up their story. I would love to see what happens with the other characters. Can’t wait for the next book.

Christmas Rom-Coms for the season cause my most anticipated Christmas Rom-Com came out earlier and I couldn’t resistttt lmao (But tell me why my most anticipated got 4 stars and this one got 5? WHAT WAS THE REASON)

Let’s start off with a quick summary cap to give the interested a little taste, shall we?

Coal is next in line to become the Christmas King. Christmas Prince, if you will lol. But the love he once had for the holiday isn’t the same way it used to be. You know, before his Mom left and his Dad got a little control-crazy. Now Christmas is just a cheap joke. He tries to do something good for once and it all blows up in his face, destroying a country's economy. What better way to wallow in his misery than to stumble in a bar alley way and smooch this hot gothic baddie?? Dude same tbh

Of course Bestie ruins the moment on accident and we don’t even get the gothic baddie’s number.🙄🙄🙄 Go figure.

Years go by and guess who can’t stop thinking about the smooch in the alley way??? Mr. Nicholas (Ni-COAL-as Get it?) Claus. But life decides he can’t have a break long enough to get his head on straight before his dad is ordering him to follow his duty as the Christmas Prince and marry his Bestie : The Easter Princess. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worseeeeee… Ta da! In comes the Gothic Alleyway Baddie here to challenge the entire union!

Let the games begin!

Oh yeah! Did I forget to mention that Gothic Alleyway Baddie is actually the Prince of Halloween? Yeahhhhhh Let’s see how well this goessss.

There was squealing, giggling, feet kicking in the air. All the wonders that come with a perfect little Christmas read. Kris had my heart strings, but Coal took the cake every time. From his flirting to his lowest moments. He was such a charmer and I was EATING that shit uppp. SLURRRPPPP lmao Wonderful Wonderful read. SO glad I got the chance to read it around the holidays!

Quotes Quotes QUOTESSSS

Coal says some of the prettiest fucking things I swearrrrr. Yah girl was swooning the ENTIRE time! And since I read the finished edition instead of my Advance Copy I can shout out some of those quotes and my opinions on themmmmm.

1.) “Did I hallucinate him? Fuck no, his taste is still in my mouth.”

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🫢🫢🫢🫢 Right out the FUCKING gate y’all. The way I gasped… We was about feral in this bitch 🙌🙌🙌🙌

2.) “Kris goes as red as the checkerboard print blankets draped over the chairs in the ballroom’s alcoves. But before I can decide whether to intervene, he looks up and down her body. “Perfect,” he says softly.”

KRISSSS! My sweet baby boiii I knew immediately that he was the house favorite ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️💕💕Maybe not My house cause Coal was and is my #1, butttt definitely a good 2nd place!

3.) “Every single one of those instances when I thought I was hypnotized by seeing joy on other people, I’d been searching, searching specifically for his joy. Because now that I’ve experienced it, it renders all past joy obsolete.”

😳🫣🫣🫣🫨Like do you really have to ask who my favorite is??? Maybe I’m not playing fairly seeing as he’s the main character and the POV of the story, but DAMN 🙏🙏👅

4.) “I make jokes. I’m a smartass. I don’t talk like this, with weight, but every second of a life spent being the comedic relief has been saving up sincerity for him.”

Mmmmmmmmm Get you a Coal for real y’all. If they ain’t worshipping the ground you walk on and the air you breathe you don’t need them. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

5.) “Someone help me, please, because this guy makes me want to learn hymns but only recite them if I’m moaning and I think that might be sacrilege, but I’m okay with damnation if he’s the reason, I just want to know for sure which way is up.”

🥴🥴🥴🫠🫠🥵🥵🥵🤤He’s literally too much to handleeee

6.) ““I can’t help,” I hardly hear myself, “this insufferable need to find out what it’s like to witness every shade of joy on your face.””

And it doesn't help that Hex is such a tease and plays hard to get ughhhh 🥺🥺🥺🥹🥹🥹😭😭😭

7.) “..the moment I become fluent in your shivers, it’s gonna be meteoric.”

Fluent in your shivers. That’s probably one of those lines that if your partner told you in real life you’d probably cringe lmao XDDD Besides the pointtttt, we still love to see it. 🥰🥰😚

8.) ““Just one night.” No. All the nights. Every one you’ll give me.”

Their situation and his neediness is such a perf combo tbh That man was literally willing to give it all up just to keep Hex with him. Even if it was just one more night (pst… it wasn’t lmao).

I’m capping this at 8 cause I don’t know how much Goodreads will let me type, but HONEY please do us all a favor and go read this. It was perfect.🤩

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars easy.

My thanks to the Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the Digital ARC. This book is ALREADY OUT!!! Go check it out for yourself and see what you think!

This book is GREAt!!

What a DELIGHT to be able to read such a fun book that exudes affection and the festive season so close to Christmas.

Coal is the prince of Christmas, very outgoing and fond of having fun, he is always getting into well-intentioned trouble situations (almost always). When one of his good deeds causes a domino effect capable of breaking the economy of a country, he considers that he has hit rock bottom. Desolate, he decides to drown his sorrows in a bar where he is already a regular customer. After a few drinks (drunk already, right?), he comes across a handsome boy like he has never seen before. Moved by the alcohol and the kindness of the stranger, he ends up venting and finding a momentary connection, having the impression that finally someone was listening to him and giving him useful advice.

After sharing this intense moment, the boy disappears and Coal finds himself convinced by his friends that perhaps it was just some kind of hallucination induced by sadness and drinking. But touched by the advice he heard and determined to do things differently, Coal stays out of trouble for a year and a half, focusing his efforts on college, being a good brother, having less chaotic fun and not getting involved where he wasn't meant to.

This goes relatively well, until his father decides that he should marry his best friend, the Easter princess. An arranged marriage that causes outrage not only among those involved, but also in the kingdoms of the other holidays that see such an alliance as a ploy to gain power and override everyone else.

Trying to appease the fury of the most outraged king of all, the Halloween king, the Christmas king proposes a situation of equality where his son could compete with Coal for the hand of Iris, the Christmas princess. (All a facade to fool the fool) The idea seems interesting to him so Hex, the Halloween prince, is sent to the North Pole with the intention of winning the princess.

When Hex arrives, imagine what a surprise it is for Coal to discover that his “hallucination” is actually the beautiful heir of Halloween who has now gone from being his conquest to his rival.
Things here unfold in the most fun way possible!!! Nothing goes according to convention and the author’s creativity in creating all the details of this story brought me more and more enchantment and passion for their passion.

One of my favorite reads for this holiday season!! I loved the relationship between Coal and Hex and how they brought out the best in each other despite representing different holidays. The world building in this was also done phenomenally and Raasch has given us a great introduction into this magical, holiday-filled universe. It was just the right mixture of cozy, romantic, magical, and also touched on important commentary on how commercialized Christmas has become, especially in the last century. Looking forward to Kris' story!!

It is such a cute romantic read. A perfect read around the holiday season or during spooky time! This novel's pacing felt wonderful and not rushed. The high stakes impact of the story line kept you on the edge of your seat.

This was such a good read that I bought both the book and the audiobook. The concept of holiday rulers extends from The Nightmare Before Christmas, but this one's an adult novel with queer characters and, of course, as holiday rulers, the main characters have powers pertaining to their holidays. I loved it!

The prince of Christmas falling for the Prince of Halloween! My two favorite holidays mashed up in a romantic adventure. It was such a satisfying read!

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a delight to read! Very good representation of the various holidays. Squee-able romance! Will definitely be coming back for more in the sequel!

okaaaaay how SWEET! The Prince of Christmas falls for the Prince of Halloween! I loved the world here- where each holiday has their own "court" and they have to create and then report their joy each year. I started this one on audio and then it got returned to the library before I could finish- but I highly recommend going the audio route as it was really enjoyable. Lots of laugh out loud moments with great banter! The main character Coal was so relatable as he tries to get himself ready to become Santa. This is the perfect holiday book if you're looking for a bit of distraction! I look forward to the next one in this series.

This is a tough review for me because I wanted to love a book that merged Halloween and Christmas and had steamy scenes, but I couldn't get there. The characters were adorable, used puns, and spoke in fun quips, but at the same time, they didn't seem real enough to me. Yes, I know they are fictional characters, and there is a fantasy element to this whole concept, but they didn't have enough depth. I suppose that much of this book is a set up for the next book, but I wanted more standalone-ness in this one.

I found "Nightmare Before Kissmas" to be absolutely adorable, and I loved the entire premise. I'm excited to read the sequel with the character from St. Patrick's Day, and the returning characters from the first novel. I'd like another book in the series that focuses on the Halloween and Fall holidays. I definitely recommend this book to those that like to read cozy fantasy romances.

Thank you @Netgalley for my #gifted copy of The Nightmare Before Kissmas.

“The Nightmare Before Kissmas” by Sara Raasch is a delightful holiday-themed twist on the familiar world of Tim Burton's “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Raasch seamlessly blends the spooky, whimsical elements of Halloween Town with a charming romance set in the middle of the Christmas season. The story introduces a fresh perspective on the magic of all the international Holidays. The main characters Nicholas “Coal” Claus and Hex are the heirs to their respective holidays, and the story adds a new layer of magic and danger. The atmosphere is as eerie and enchanting as the original film, and the narrative captures the essence of the characters’ personalities while introducing new conflicts and stakes.

While the book excels in its immersive world-building and delightful holiday vibes, the pacing occasionally feels uneven. At times, the plot’s focus on romance might distract from the darker, more intriguing elements that made the original story so captivating. However, the charming writing, engaging character dynamics, and festive spirit make it a perfect read for fans of both “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Red, White, and Royal Blue,” and heartwarming holiday tales. Overall, “The Nightmare Before Kissmas” is a fun and festive read that will leave readers smiling, if not fully captivated.

3.25-3.5 stars

This book was both a lot of fun and also very mid.
I'm very torn on how I feel on it but because I want to read book 2 & book 3 so I will say I liked it in the end.
The sad part is that Hex really didn't feel like a full character to me, which is weird as I feel like we had a lot of time (due to a slower pace), but it didn't pan out that way for him. Perhaps it was because we are very much in Coal's head but we see more substance with Irish and Kris, so that contradicts that.

My favorite parts of this book were the worldbuilding of the holidays and the royalty ruling these worlds.
Seeing the interaction between the other holidays, how political the magic was and how 'Santa' was blackmailing the other holidays so it could grow it's reach into the whole world, was WILD.
Also I really loved Iris and I need a book for her! Book 3 better be her book!

I didn’t realize it until after I read The Nightmare Before Kissmas, but I had read this author before some years ago when they were writing young adult. I really enjoyed These Rebel Waves but am glad that this past opinion didn’t colour the way I consumed The Nightmare Before Kissmas. This book was a completely different vibe, and I was excited to dive into it without expectations.

I really liked the concept of these worlds dedicated to the holidays existing in secret because it reminded me of The Nightmare Before Christmas (which I think this book’s title is a nod to anyway) as well as a number of Christmas movies. It felt familiar and cozy, while also using the concept of these worlds to tell a story entirely new to me. The holiday magic combined with the romance created a fun and unique atmosphere.

I enjoyed the chemistry between Coal and Hex, and also enjoyed the banter between all of the characters overall. The dynamics were playful but also layered with tension, which made the interactions engaging. That said, I did find that I got a bit bored with Coal’s introspection after delving into his inner thoughts a few times, because it felt repetitive to me. However, I know that there are readers who will appreciate getting such a deep look into the main character’s mind and motivations.

Overall, I had fun reading The Nightmare Before Kissmas and am tempted to pick up the sequel, Go Luck Yourself, when it comes out in March 2025. If you enjoy holiday-themed worlds, witty banter, romance, and spice, this book might be the perfect cozy read for you!

I love Sara Raasch’s brain.

This book is so many things at once and in all the best ways.

It’s about power, friendship, families, love, controlling the narrative, hope, grief, fantastic clothes, magic…AAARGH just read it! C’mon, man, it’s just SO DAMN GOOD.

We get to see two young men—Coal, the prince of Christmas and Hex, the prince of Halloween—navigate the tricky situations they find themselves in because of their positions in their families, power dynamics, and their own personal histories.

When their paths collide, it’s wonderful. WONDERFUL.

Funny, festive, observant, moving, swoony, sweet, charming, layered, exciting and so filled with hope, you won’t be able to put it down.

Prepare to buy copies for so many people on your list.

Read if you like:
Holiday romantasy with LOLs
Cute guys swooning amidst political manipulations
Stories that are safe spaces for LGBTQIA2S+ characters
Charming sweetie x sexy demi goth fashionista
Genuinely creative storytelling that makes the heart happier by the end