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!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Sara Raasch has once again made me fangirl to death! Five stars for the banter, the angst and the love. A must read and reread.

I love the world Sara has created with the Royals and Romance series. It's such unique and captivating story telling to explore holiday royalty!

I was hopeful at the end of the first book about who the love interest would be for Kris and was pleasantly surprised the direction it took AND how well it was explained! While brothers, Kris and Coal could not be any more different. The journey of self discovery for Kris was incredible to read.

The banter between Kris and Loch was epic, they had me laughing and on the verge of tears. This book was relatable on so many levels and I am so thankful to Sara for bringing us this world!

This was an ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) and sequel to The Nightmare Before Kissmass, which I read at the end of last year. I enjoyed this way more than the first, but it must be noted that the first established some essential ground rules and a great base from which this sequel builds off from, whilst also being it’s own story. 

I really loved exploring Kris’ story and learning about a new “Holiday Royal Court” with Saint Patrick’s Day. Loch may be one of my newest book boyfriend crushes, and although rough, I can see the appeal.

There were many moments in this book where it felt a little too repetitive, in which we’re recounted certain thoughts and ideas by characters more than a few times (to the point that I’m even thinking about it so much!). One other down is the thoughts/reactions of one character that didn’t make the sense to me. The explanations and positioning is there, but I just didn’t buy it. I know that it’s there to create the “third act” trope that many romance readers would know about, but I don’t think it was necessary and would have been better without.

Honestly though, I really had a fun time with this book and I’m starting to become attached to these characters. Coal’s, Kris’, and Iris’ friendship is truly one of my fave trios. These books have such fun wit and charm, and make me smile and giggle at the most unexpected times. I’m super excited to see what is next in this series as I will one HUNDRED continue to read and dive into this universe at any point.

Thanks to NetGalley and TOR for the chance to read this early!

The Nightmare Before Kissmas was one of the biggest surprises of 2024 for me. I’ve never had so much fun reading a holiday romance before! So, I knew I had to read the follow-up as soon as possible and I had high expectations! Thankfully, Go Luck Yourself is just as amazing as its predecessor!

The first thing I love about Go Luck Yourself is that it is a direct sequel to The Nightmare Before Kissmas. I expected this to be like many rom-com series where the books can be read in any order since the only thing in common is a few shared characters. This book, however, should not be read without reading The Nightmare Before Kissmas first since major plot, character, and relationship details from the first book are followed up on (yes, this means we get more Coal/Hex and Iris).

Go Luck Yourself picks up shortly after the events of the previous books. Kris and Loch meet in the library at Cambridge and get off on the wrong foot immediately. Kris channels a little of his brother’s chaotic energy on a revenge prank that has bigger tabloid consequences for Loch than Kris intended. Shortly after, a possible plot against Christmas has Kris visiting Loch to soothe over the debacle with the Holiday press while also investigating who in St. Patrick’s Day is stealing Christmas joy.

Kris and Loch are an incredibly fun pair. The two are attracted to each other but their hostility makes it impossible for the two to see their interest as mutual at first. Kris, especially, is so hilariously and stubbornly oblivious that I laughed out loud at several points. They do, of course, figure it out eventually but the journey, full of ups and downs, is so very enjoyable. I ended up loving them together just as much as I did Coal and Hex! Maybe even more (which I did not think would be possible)!

Kris, who was very likable in The Nightmare Before Kissmas, grows into an even better and more interesting character in this. He was the responsible brother in the first book, so it was fun to see these other sides of him. He has a great character arc in this that makes him feel relatable and real. I loved his growth by the end!

Loch is a great love interest and is one of my new favorite characters in this series. He’s brash at first but there is, of course, a lot more depth to him. He and his sisters are all great additions to the series.

This series, “Royals and Romance”, should not be missed, if you like funny and queer romances. These books are filled with laugh-out-loud moments and have wonderful characters and relationships. I love both immensely and I hope we get more in the future! These two books have cemented Sara Raasch as a must-read author for me and I am eagerly awaiting everything she writes in the future!

Thank you Bramble and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love these holiday royalty stories! And I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers! Kris feels out of place, unsure where he fits in now that Coal has begun to take over Christmas. He’s trying to keep it together but some guy, admittedly hot, takes his study carrel time, he’ll use his magic to get his revenge. Then they find out someone has been stealing Christmas’s magic, the possible thief St Patrick’s Day whether it’s their King or their Prince, who surprisingly turns out to be the same guy from school. And Kris’ little revenge has all the holiday papers calling Prince Lochlann a screw up. That wasn’t his intention so he figures out he can find out who’s stealing their magic and make a public apology to the Prince. With the disdain they have for each other it will not be easy to convince the press. The two can’t seem to get along but is there disdain hiding something more? Can Kris find out who’s stealing their magic? Heartfelt, swoon worthy, hilarious, and full of spice! Plus the whimsy of the holidays! Entertaining and sweet, great for lovers of enemies to friends romance!