Patrick Hargrave and Quinn Muller have been married for less than a year, but their passionate romance is cracking under the pressures of domestic life and a cumbersome mortgage. That’s until Christmas Eve when Patrick wakes Quinn up with: “I think I’ve killed a man.”

Quinn realizes the “burglar” Patrick knocked out is none other than Mr. Claus himself. Instructed by a harried elf to don the red suit and take the reins of the reindeer-guided sleigh up on the roof, Quinn and Patrick work together to save Christmas. But as the sun rises on Christmas morning, the sleigh brings them back to the North Pole instead of New Jersey, and they’re in for a massive shock. The couple must assume the roles of Santa Claus and the first ever Merriest Mister or Christmas will be canceled… permanently.

Watching Patrick and Quinn's antics in this gem was quite a treat! Going through rocky times (which we all do!) to playing Santa was so much fun! I enjoyed the characters so much, and the story was engaging, well-paced, and hilarious. These are the kind of feel-good stories we all need to be reading around the holidays!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first book by Timothy Janovsky. I requested an arc on it based off the cute cover and description. I was very glad I did. It was a fun holiday read that was reminded of The Santa for grownups. It also showed two people who had a lot of family trauma overcoming it to be people they were proud of. Two lines that stuck out to me were “Don’t ever be sorry for existing.” And “Love that overcomes is stronger than love that settles.” So, I definitely walked away with a message that made me feel like this was a Christmas lesson classic story.

Loved this unique version of The Santa Clause! Quinn and Patrick have not been seeing eye to eye lately, but when Patrick must take over the role of Santa or cancel Christmas things become real.

I loved the way the author imagined this story and the way it was told. I enjoyed that there was queer rep in so many of the characters, because each presented their identity differently and it was so important.

A cute Christmas romance that believes love (literally) makes magic.

This was cute, and there were lots of fun Christmas vibes. I would definitely recommend it for holiday romance reading. My complaints: Santa and the North Pole are magic. Ok, fine, but two things bugged me. 1) how is there daylight at the North Pole in December, before 7am no less?! (magic apparently moderates the temperature, but can it create daylight? The fact that I could not get past this says more about my brain than the book, I realize.) 2) Elves are immortal, have children, and do not seem to have violence or disease killing them off, but apparently they do not have an issue with overpopulation. Again, not important to the book, but seems implausible to me. (More so than a magic cape turning someone into Santa? I mean, I guess not, but that is clearly waved away as "magic", but population is basic math. So.) <spoiler> It really bugged me how Patrick and Quinn just ghosted all their friends and family for the better part of a year. The Council said they'd handle it, and they figured, 'cool, I guess I don't even have to say bye.' And, Patrick left Kasey in the lurch with the building he promised and which was definitely needed. He followed through in the end, but after a year of literally nothing. Is this Santa Clause/good person behavior? Frankly, no. Both characters have been living their lives for others (perceived or real) expectations, including what they assumed their partner wants, although neither ever even hinted at wanting those things. I suppose this is just a factor of them being in their mid-20s (so young!), and it's just hard for me to strongly relate to this. </spoiler> Also, I should mention that, yes, there are a small number of flashbacks, which annoy some people, but this is the norm for a marriage in trouble or second chance romance. I didn't find it confusing, and it was nice to see Patrick and Quinn fall in love. It also gave context for how they ended up in their current situation (not the whole Santa business, but their pre-Santa unhappiness). Anyway, it'll be nice to have another holiday romance to add to my rotation come December.

Tropes: marriage in trouble. Themes: familial (and societal) expectations, the trauma of home ownership for first-time homeowners in 2024

Spiciness: 🔥🔥 (closed door)

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶

Meet Quinn Muller, a second grade teacher who just wants to be everything his husband needs him to be.

And Patrick Hargrave, an architect desperate for his parents approval, and secretly working two jobs to support his husband in a life he chose for them.

In this jolly holiday romance Quinn and Patrick find themselves at The North Pole, rediscovering their love for one another, their love for themselves, and their passions for their lives.

The characters in this book are extremely well written, layered, and diverse. And the imagery was pure magic, I could see the chalet, the New Jersey house, the snowball fight, and the entire North Pole! Not to mention Quinns fabulous wardrobe!

I will be recommending this sweet, closed door romance to all of my friends and followers this holiday season!

Overall this was a cute little read that makes you wish for the holidays even if it’s summer. Loved the little spin of The Santa Clause meets a marriage in trouble. The characters were likable and I always appreciate a dual POV! We all need a little Christmas magic ❤️

If you loved the Santa Clause, you'll love this book! This was one of those great holiday romances albeit a little cheesy. It's not a deep one, just a fun one to read. I highly recommend reading during the festive season!

I’m a big fan of Timothy Janovsky’s work, and I really wanted to love this one. There were some fun moments—I loved the Christmas magic, and the scene where Patrick discovers Santa is good physical comedy—but a lot of the story fell flat for me.

I wish there had been some significant character development by the end of the story. Patrick and Quinn weren’t very good communicators, and it felt like they just stumbled upon a solution that worked for them both rather than actively communicating and working out their problems as a couple.

Holy cinnamon was this a cute story! Like a queer The Santa Clause! I wanted to cancel plans to sit and read this because it was so incredibly cute I couldn't put it down. The characters are lovable, there's an awesome explanation for Santa's magic, and it's a perfect book to get you into the Christmas spirit....even if it is only June. If you see me out and about singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside" in the middle of summer, blame this book!

Enjoyed this little spin on The Santa Clause (because that is definitely what this is lol). I appreciate the quirky and easy humor thorughout the book, it maintained well with the pacing. I never felt like I was forcing myself through the book. As always, I hate a third act break up, this one wasn't as bad as the rest, but I still hate them.
I loved switch POV's throughout and flashbacks for context, b/c I truly hate when an author expects you to just put it all together without any assistance. Good love story and funny.

#bookreview The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky

🤔where did ya come from?🤷🏼‍♀️
- eARC via NetGalley from the publishers (St Martins)

😍the good stuff😍
- Christmas story with Santa and North Pole elements
- Fairly likable characters.
- I liked the essence of the idea of beating up Santa, having him quit, and then having to save Christmas.

🫢my complaints🤫
- I felt like the characters were developing okay but their relationship was odd. It’s supposed to be a romance, but it never gave me any warm fuzzies or made me want them together at all tbh 🤷🏼‍♀️ I just didn’t care. I felt like maybe they had married too fast and they weren’t supposed to be together 🤷🏼‍♀️
- Quinn’s desire to return to non-gendered clothing choices seemed sort of pushed in the storyline, but then sort of abandoned? I liked that he was trying to get back to himself, but the clothing thing seemed more representative in the story than it needed to be? I just felt like he was making these decisions and then BAM it’s over and the story goes on without really acknowledging his growth in this area 🤷🏼‍♀️ Maybe this was just a me peeve.
- Patrick’s obsession with his parents and making them proud. I get it was his journey but it just seemed really stupid to me.
- They disappeared for a year and didn’t even bother to call/talk/message anyone? Really? And thought everything would just go back to normal like they hadn’t disappeared.
- Patrick’s complete dismissiveness about the project he was supposed to do for Kacey’s nonprofit. He just keeps forgetting 🤦🏼‍♀️ What the hell, dude. At least email her that you aren’t doing it.

☺️the tropes☺️
- Becoming Santa
- Second chance sort of

⚠️the warnings⚠️
- Cheesy. Lack of character or plot development.

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This heartwarming novel perfectly captures the magic of Christmas and the journey of self-discovery alongside romance. The characters are engaging, and the adventure, reminiscent of a cozy holiday movie, kept me captivated. While it echoes the charm of The Santa Clause, it stands on its own with a unique and touching storyline. A delightful read that I look forward to enjoying again during the holidays. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Look, I may not be the most objective review here - I love a magical christmas romance AND I have a soft spot for the film classic, The Santa Clause - so obviously I was a big fan of this novel. I also love when a romance novel is not just about finding your way to eachother, but also to yourself. It had a great cast of chatacters, a magical setting (I'm talking about New Jersey, obviously) and it made me tear up at the end... what more could you want in a holiday escape??

This book was so cute and really put me in the Christmas mood but in June, I liked how it was kind of adventure-esc but also a good journey of finding your way back to those you love most. It gave off Hallmark vibes which I loved!

This was such a a ride and I loved every second of it. It definitely gave the Santa Clause vibes. I plan to reread during Christmas and if this is your vibe please give this a read

Quinn es maestro y no está contento con su trabajo, se siente abandonado por su esposo y está pensando en el divorcio.

Patrick es arquitecto, se la pasa trabajando, busca la aprobación de todos, está tan centrado en darle una buena vida a Quinn que no se da cuenta que lo está alejando.

Hay capítulos del pasado donde muestran como se conocieron y que pasó para que en el presente su matrimonio este en crisis.


El día de Navidad Patrick golpea a Santa y tiene que sustituirlo, junto con Quinn y uno de los duendes tendrán que repartir los regalos que faltan antes de que la gente despierte.




Spoilers ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️
Estuvo entretenido, pero Patrick no me cayó bien, no tuvo un crecimiento y al final no creo que haya aprendido la lección porque se hizo lo que él quería.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so sweet and tender of a story. I loved the nod to the Santa Claus. It read like a movie I would watch cozied up with hot chocolate and popcorn to laugh and cry right along with the characters.

Thank you for letting me read another amazing ARC! I think this might be one of my favorites! I am not a Christmas person at all. Ba humbug but, I always enjoy Timothy’s books. Patrick and Quinn are in for a treat with this book! You will love where the “Santa suit” takes them!

Thank you to Timothy Janovsky, St. Martin’s Press, and Net Galley for this ARC!

All thought and opinions are my own 💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Dual POV
* Told in first person
* Marriage in trouble
* Christmas Vibes
* The Santa Clause vibes!!
* Dual timeline



My thoughts:
I immediately liked the writing style! It drew me in from the start.

I enjoyed this book a lot! I really appreciate journey we were taken on with the characters. I am excited to read more from this author!!

This book was a wild ride. I went in a little blind, only going off of my familiarity with the author and not reading the full description, but I had so much fun with a surprise jump into the world of Santa and the North Pole.

Despite feeling like a fairly lighthearted holiday romance, this did have a marriage-in-crisis trope and dealt with a few heavier topics - relationship struggles, financial difficulties, and family estrangements.

While I enjoyed reading this book, I didn’t love the narration of it, and at points it fell a little flat. I also struggled to connect with Patrick, one of the MC’s, and had a hard time rooting for the main characters to rebuild their relationship.