Go Luck Yourself invites readers back into the holiday chaos, this time with a heartwarming story centered around familiar themes: the trouble with family, emotional healing, and the pursuit of joy —both in relationships with others and oneself. Much like its predecessor, The Nightmare Before Kissmas, this book delves into the importance of finding balance, facing personal struggles, and giving yourself the space and opportunity to heal, all set against the backdrop of holiday magic – with an Irish twist.

In this installment, we follow Kristopher Clause as he begins to rebuild his joy after the painful and chaotic fallout surrounding his father’s schemes. When holiday magic goes missing in the land of St. Patrick’s Day, Kris is drawn into a mystery that might just offer him the escape he desperately needs. Along the way, he encounters the St. Patrick’s Day prince, a figure who initially seems like an adversary (especially considering this isn’t the first time they met at odds) but ultimately becomes everything Kris could have hoped for in his quest for a happy ending.

If you haven’t yet read The Nightmare Before Kissmas, I’d highly recommend doing so before diving into this one. While Go Luck Yourself stands on its own, having the context of book one will enrich the experience and deepen your understanding of certain familial relationships. After what happened in the first book, Kris’s brother Coal is busy picking up the pieces left by their father, who, now living his best life in the Caribbean, hands over the holiday empire to his son in the midst of a midlife crisis. Meanwhile, Kris investigates the St. Patrick’s Day mystery, eager to distract himself from the emotional turmoil of a recent rejection from Iris – which we all were kind of rooting for in the first book, let’s be real. Disguised as an ambassador from Christmas, Kris now works to rebuild trust in the wake of his father’s actions.

One of the highlights of Go Luck Yourself is the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Kris and the St. Patrick’s Day prince, Loch (though we will not speak about this name because it haunts me—Loch means hole in German, in case you were wondering. You can guess the kind of jokes I have become very familiar with from prepubescent boys from an early age on). Although the tension is resolved fairly quickly, it’s still an enjoyable ride watching these two attempt to one-up each other, with Kris’s magical abilities adding a nice layer of fun. While Loch, the prince, could have used more depth in terms of characterisation, his more understated presence worked well in the context of Kris’s family drama and the book’s overall focus on mental health. The exploration of self-imposed pressure and its consequences is particularly poignant and relatable.

Kris and Loch’s romance, though filled with ups and downs, ultimately shows how their bond helps each of them grow. Their support for one another is a key theme, offering space for personal growth throughout the story. Additionally, there are plenty of cameos from characters in the first book, sure to delight fans who couldn’t put it down.

That said, I did encounter some of the same issues I had with The Nightmare Before Kissmas. The fluctuating tone of the narrative was jarring at times, especially when combined with the characters’ shifting emotional states. While I understand that anxiety and emotional turmoil can cause such shifts, the tone didn’t always match the characters’ inner thoughts or were so interchangeable that it was hard to remember whose head we were stuck in, which made it harder to follow at certain points. There’s also a tendency to summarise scenes or reiterate information from the same point of view, which occasionally made the pacing drag. Moreover, some abrupt tonal shifts—particularly from light-hearted fun to heavy, almost war-like drama followed up by intimate scenes—felt out of place.

While the intimate scenes in the story may not be for everyone, and the dominant/submissive dynamics could be polarising depending on your preferences (especially if you’re only exposed to traditionally published romance), they add an element of tension to the romance that might appeal to some readers. For me, I couldn’t help but notice the influence of Raasch’s previous YA works blending with her attempt to create a more mature, adult-themed narrative.

Another point of critique is the characters’ lack of agency. While this isn’t as glaring as in Coal’s story, it’s still noticeable that these are grown adults who often take a passive approach to their own lives. This gives the story a certain YA feel, despite the more mature content.

However, if these issues didn’t bother you in the first book, they’re likely to be less of a concern here, as the subtlety of the second book’s execution makes them easier to overlook. Ultimately, Go Luck Yourself retains the fun, witty dialogue, holiday-themed antics, and irresistible chemistry between the protagonists that made the first book a hit.

Personally, I’m still hoping for a Netflix adaptation—or something similar—that can bring Raasch’s delightful world to life in a Hallmark-esque holiday movie.

So cuddle up, get yourself a nice hot ale (if you’re into that) and count your lucky stars while falling head over heels for this enemies-to-lovers holiday romcom!

Go Luck Yourself is the second book I've read by Sara Raasch, and I cannot get enough! I loved how all the characters from Nightmare Before Kissmas are also in this book. We get to know them even better. I'm a sucker for an emeies-to-lovers romance and this one between Kris and Loch did not disappoint!

A continuation of the Royals and Romance series starring Coal’s brother, Kris. After Coal becomes the king of Christmas they decide to start repaying the joy Christmas has stolen from the other holidays but Kris notices a small clover device that has been stealing a bit of joy from them. Although it’s understandable someone could do this to them after what their father has done Kris goes on behalf of Christmas as an ambassador to St Patrick’s day. Unfortunately or maybe it’s better to say luckily Kris has encountered the St Patrick’s day prince before. Lochlann Patrick did know who his luck was pushing him towards every time he got into a fight for the study room at the library with Kris. But when Christmas sends their ambassador to apologize for a tinsel prank he ends up meeting his dream guy.
I loved this addition to the series, it was very emotional and heartfelt. I hope there are more to come I am loving getting to know more and more about all these characters and watching all of their relationships grow.

Much like the first book in the series, this book was such a stupid fun time! I absolutely adore this series and think that Go Luck Yourself does a really good job of sidestepping some of issues I had with the first installment. Where I found the plot of the first book to be a tad underwhelming, I was fully enraptured by the narrative of Go Luck Yourself. I also think that the characterization has definitely improved and all of the main, or strong supporting, characters feel as though they've been fully fleshed out.

I would still love for the series to include other holidays (like Eid, Diwali, Holi, Rosh Hashanah, etc) in a more meaningful way. There was a few mentions of some holidays in this book, but I would like to interact with a character that comes from those holidays.

Outside of these small adjustments of mine, this series is such a strong showing from Sara Raasch that I selfishly hope we get several more books in the series. While I haven't found any information about a third book in the series, there were enough hints in Go Luck Yourself that I can hold out hope for at least one more book.

I loved this so much!!! It's such a cute idea for a romance and I'm so excited for Kris to end up with someone who loves him!

4 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

I was really happy to hear that we were getting Kris's story in the series, especially now after finishing the book. It's hard to fully capture anxiety and panic attacks like Kris has in book format, but god Raasch does it well.

I really liked this story, probably a little better than the first one. It had the same "I hate him but oh no he's hot" as Nightmare, but without the stupid forced marriage plotline.

I loved Loch and how the two of them had so much in common, once they just stopped being so mean to each other.

Raasch, I'm adding my voice to the many who hope for Iris' happily every after soon. Don't do the thing a lot of writers do where their success comes from stories about queer men and fully ignore the queer women with a story to tell.

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch is an utterly joyful, sexy romance with a mix of lighthearted fun and dealing with heavy emotions and trauma. I loved The Nightmare Before Kissmas, and this sequel not only lives up to the original book but might even surpass it. Raasch's writing is quick, witty, and fun, and she creates characters wonderful characters that are well-rounded and easy to love. Go Luck Yourself created a brilliant tension between the two lead characters and an engaging plot that left me eager to discover what would happen next and sad when the book ended. I highly recommend checking out this fun, spicy romance that will fill you with joy and eagerness to return to the world of the Royals and Romance series!

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch
Rating: 4.5 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 3/11

Thank you so much to Bramble for my advanced copy and Libro.fm for my complimentary audiobook. I loved The Nightmare Before Kissmas and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this one!

The story kicks off with Kris heading to St. Patrick’s Day to investigate who’s stealing Christmas’s joy. Of course, the prime suspect ends up being none other than Lochlann, the same guy Kris has been butting heads with at Cambridge. Their rivalry is super entertaining, and their banter had me laughing out loud.

What really made this book shine was the mix of lighthearted fun and deeper emotional moments. While The Nightmare Before Kissmas leaned into the campy vibes, Go Luck Yourself digs a bit deeper. Kris’s journey toward self-discovery and dealing with family baggage felt surprisingly real. I loved seeing a character wrestle with his issues in a way that was both relatable and honest.

And I just love Lochlann. He’s got that grumpy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside vibe that I absolutely love. He’s protective, artistic, and the perfect match for Kris. Their chemistry is off the charts, and every scene with them together had me hooked.

Overall, Go Luck Yourself strikes a great balance between sweet, steamy, and heartfelt. If you love holiday romances with a little more depth, you’ll want to add this one to your TBR!

I loved The Nightmare Before Kissmas so I was super excited to read another book in the series. While I loved Kris and Loch and their whole enemies to lovers vibe, this felt like the exact same story as TNBK- just change up some names and no one will know. Which is fine! Just saying, same vibes. It was still a cute read, didn’t love it as much as the first book 🤷🏻‍♀️

💚 After reading and loving Nightmare Before Kissmas last year, I knew I needed the follow up book ASAP! Sara has created such an incredible world with this series! I feel like I’m friends with the main characters and I truly dread when the end comes! This book had me in my feels, had me rolling, laughing, had me swooning and blushing at some scenes 🤭 It is such a fun reading experience and I look forward to more books with these characters! And as if the books aren’t enough, they come with gorgeous sprayed edges! 😍

Such an amazing sequel. Plenty of humor and lighthearted fun, combined with emotional and fulfilling scenes. The perfect early spring rom com read!

REVIEW: Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch 4.5 stars

I read the first book, The Nightmare Before Kissmas, last year and loved it. This world Sara Raasch built with holidays and royalty is fun and fantastical. When I saw she was releasing a second book, Go Luck Yourself, but about the brother of the main character in the previous book, I was so excited.

Go Luck Yourself is about Kris, the Prince of Christmas, helping his brother Coal, the King of Christmas, figure out who is stealing Christmas joy. Joy in this holiday world powers magic through the kingdoms. The only hint left was a tiny shamrock, so Kris decides to investigate in Ireland to visit the Prince of St. Patrick’s Day, Loch.

This book was full of joy! One area where Sara shines is her character development, and Go Luck Yourself is no exception. There are strong friend and family bonds even when toxic parents are involved. The relationships between Iris, Coal, and Kris, as well as Loch, Finn, and Siobahn, were full of so much heart, teasing, and love. I loved not only revisiting old characters but also getting to know many of the new ones.

Go Luck Yourself features the enemies-to-lovers trope, which brings in so much fun banter between Kris and Loch. The two have so many funny moments, and tension is building. This was also an outstanding balance of sweet, romantic, and spicy. Go Luck Yourself checks so many boxes off for a great rom-com.

I absolutely enjoyed Go Luck Yourself. I love revisiting well-loved characters from the last book and meeting new ones. This book greatly represents mental health and a resounding theme about finding yourself. I really hope Sara Raasch continues this series to feature other characters and holidays!

Thank you, Tor Publishing Group | Bramble and Netgalley, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

#bookreview #bookrecommendations #arcread #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookish #bookaddict #igreads #bookcommunity #igreads #readingbooks #bookishpost #readersofinstagram #reading #alwaysreading #booksofinstagram #bookaholic #bookcommunity #booksofinstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #romancereader

The spare prince of Christmas finds himself needing to make nice with the crown prince of St. Patrick's day after a prank gone wrong (and very public) but soon finds himself investigating whether or not said crown prince is stealing magic from Christmas and if his feelings for him are worth risking it all for? Kris is the spare prince of Christmas, he's always been the one to take care of everyone else, and after realizing that he is actually not in love with his best friend but rather in love with the idea of having the perfect fantasy romance... he definitely needs some time off to focus on writing and his studies at Cambridge. Yet the only thing getting in his way is a hot but annoying guy who keeps trying to steal his study room... so when he unleashes some Christmas magic to get back, it hits every magic news outlet and it turns out the very guy he did that two is the crown prince of St, Patrick's Day, Lochlann Patrick. Now there's a holiday relations crisis and Kris needs to apologize and make nice for the media... and that means spending a week with Lochlan in St. Patrick's kingdom and doing PR work. There also happens to be the teeny tiny issue that Kris finds out that someone from St. Patrick's is stealing Christmas joy magic and he has to figure it out. Kris knows he has to make nice but also investigate, but its hard to do that when Lochlann constantly gets under his skin while also awakening feelings that are either deep hatred or a very big crush. Lochlann forces Kris to re-evaluate things about himself... but also to think about what he wants. But if Kris finds out the truth about Lochlann can he forgive him and can a romance work between two different people? I adored the first book so much and I guess this one just felt, a bit less fun and less believable in the romance for me. I wish I could have enjoyed the romance more but it just didn't really feel believable, it just kind of felt like Kris constantly throwing himself at Lochlann and then when it come to the whole big make up gesture, it just didn't feel enough and that it was once again Kris doing so much more. I just kind of wish Lochlann did more, the romance just didn't work for me that much compared to the first book's romance. I do adore Sara's writing and this paranormal universe is fun to read and I absolutely need a third book featuring Finn and Iris, please let the sapphic girlies eat Sara!!!

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

Release Date: March 11, 2025

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Okay I liked the first one but this was PERFECT. Sara Raasch wrote this book for me. It’s got everything, romance, angst, layered characters and keeps the bond between brothers Kris and Coal. The romance was balanced well with actual plot and angst. Loch and Kris are such compelling leads together and separately. Most of the book takes place in Ireland, which is possibly my favorite place on earth, and the detail and care into showing St. Patrick’s Day relevance and importance to Ireland as more than “the drinking holiday” was a nice touch. A new favorite definitely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first book, but this definitely felt like it was a very similar plot just with different character names. I think Sara writes in such a fun way and it makes me giggle and kick my feet. This just wasn't different enough for me.

Enemies-to-lovers mixed with holiday magic is exactly why I picked up this sequel!

Someone has been stealing Christmas’s joy, and there’s only one clue to the culprit—a single shamrock. With Coal busy with Christmas, Kris volunteers to investigate. Surprisingly, he already knows the Crown Prince of St. Patrick's Day, Lochlann Patrick, because of a small war on their student campus that may or may not have already set the tone for their first official meeting as holiday representatives. Despite being nice for the cameras, each of them can barely get through one conversation without argument. Unfortunately for Kris, Loch is hot, which makes everything that much more difficult. Nothing is as it seems and a romance surprisingly blooms as the investigation unfolds.

This was, without a doubt, one of my favorite romances from the past twelve months, and probably beyond. I enjoyed reading Hex and Coal's story enough that I knew one with Kris would be worth reading, and it absolutely was more than I expected. Not only was the romance spicy, the story itself had a few unexpected twists that made me keep reading just to find out the truth. If you enjoyed the first book of the Royals and Romance series, this should definitely be next on your reading list.

Sara Raasch is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors with her Royals and Romance series. I adored "The Nightmare Before Kissmas," but the follow up was on another level entirely. The humor was amped up, the romance even steamier and more heartachingly lovely, and the plot interesting.

"Go Luck Yourself" follows Kris, the "spare prince" of the Christmas royal family, after his father (Santa) goes off to the Caribbean to have a midlife crisis with their absent mother, leaving the entire holiday in Coal's hands. Which means it's a bad time to discover that someone has been stealing their holiday's magic - with only a single shamrock left behind as a clue to the culprit. With Coal busy trying to restructure Christmas into something less greedy of magic, it's up to Kris to investigate. He goes undercover to the suspected St. Patrick's Day holiday under the guise of improving inter-holiday relationships. Too bad the prince of St. Patrick's Day is Lochlann Patrick, the same very attractive man that Kris has been in a cold war with at Cambridge over a study room.

If the first book in the series, was great, then "Go Luck Yourself" was just amazing. I found Kris, with all of his anxiety and imposter syndrome, to be so relatable. He's so desperate to prove himself useful while his brother and best friend are off ruling their respective holidays. The slow burn fighting-to-lovers was just lovely as well. The antagonism between Kris and Loch was so much fun, but watching them discover the truths about each other was something else entirely. Kris's worries, and Loch's struggles to keep his holiday afloat with a greedy uncle acting as king... I genuinely felt heartache at some of their interactions. And then the spice - holy hell.
It was also great to see Coal and Hex again, being in love and capable! And Iris! I have my suspicions about where a potential third book will go, and I really hope I'm right, because this series seems to just be getting better and better.

4.5/5
Thank you @brambleromance #partner for the gifted copy of this book!

I literally cannot get enough of these wonderfully written books that blend together the holidays! In this story, this time someone is stealing all of Christmas’s joy and it’s easy to pinpoint the problem being a shamrock! ☘️ Kris is at the helm and tasked with the investigation. He comes across Prince Lochlan and ironically their paths have crossed in the past and let’s just say emotions are heightened. Will Kris be able to save the day? You’ll have to read this to find out!

I hope these books continue because I adore them! They are amusing, lighthearted, whimsical and playful. I love the rivalries Sara has created and this book simply was just as fun as the first! I enjoyed how we got to do a deeper dive on other characters in this book which I felt like kept the story fresh! This book is so much more than just your average romance book and I absolutely want to read more in this world! Bring on the holiday competitions!

Go Luck Yourself is a charming, witty romance brimming with humor and heart.. The characters are vibrant and full of personality, with sharp banter and undeniable chemistry that keeps the pages turning.

It’s a feel-good read that perfectly balances romance and self-discovery, making it an excellent pick for anyone craving a lighthearted, satisfying escape.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for an advanced copy of this!!!

This book was everything I wanted and more in a sequel to Nightmare before Kissmas. Picking up just after New Years, this book follows Coal's brother, Kris, as he tries to make up for a prank that he pulled on the Prince of St. Patricks Day. The pining, the drama, and the SASS from the two of them was just so fulfilling. I adored every second of them in every single chapter

I also loved the side characters!! I loved that we got to see more of Kris and Coal together, with Kris coming into his own and learning to be himself and not as scared as he was in Kissmas. Siobhan and Finn, Loch's sisters, were ADORABLE in their own rights, and I think I see some hints of book 3 in there Sara!!

I am a huge Sara Raasch fan, and this book did not disappoint. I'm also a St. Patty's day baby, so this made me smile (because there are so few St Patricks day books, and even fewer romances)

Everyone read this book when it comes out!!!