I sadly was not a fan of The Nightmare before Kissmas. This breaks my heart as it was one of my most hyped reads of the year, but I could barely finish it...
I did really love the ideas the author had, and I thought the world was really interesting, and it definitely had a lot of promise!

The biggest problem i had was the two main characters. They were both annoying and barely had any chemistry together. I thought the book would be a slow burn, but it was essentially insta love as they barely even knew each other. This is one of my most hated tropes.
I may pick up the sequel as I might enjoy the romance more in that one, but I'm not sure yet.
Overall, I wouldn't personally recommend this book, but if you are interested in giving it a go go for it as I know many others enjoyed it!

The nightmare before kissmas - Sara Rassch

No,sorry. This book was not for me. I just couldn’t get into it. The blurb was great but the story was not. 😬

I didn't expect to say this, but this book was too ridiculous for me. I thought it would be a lot of fun, but it immediately crossed into cringy territory for me, and it did not get better. Something in the writing really didn't work for me, and I didn't feel emotionally invested in the story. Because of this, I decided to DNF.

The Nightmare Before Kissmass was a festive, flirty and occasionally steamy book that was a perfect addition to my December tbr!

This book follows the prince, and heir, of Christmas, Nicholas or Coal as he prefers; a notoriously rebellious guy that at the heart of things just wants to make things better, however he can’t help but crack a joke and try and avoid some of the heavier elements of life.

He finds himself in an arranged marriage to his best friend, the Easter princess, which neither of them want, oh and did I mention that his brother is in love with his new finance? It’s safe to say it’s complicated, but on top of this there is so much going on underneath the surface that Coal has yet to uncover, and things might not be as jolly as they first appear.

And if that wasn’t enough to contend with, there is also the fact that Coal is competing for the Easter Princesses hand against the Halloween Prince. A man who Coal drunkenly kissed at a bar after one of his disasters, a man who he hasn’t stopped thinking about since, a man who he might not be able to resist.

The chemistry between the cast of characters is well written, from the friendships to the romance. The way that Coal starts to deal with his own trauma which allows him to become a better friend was lovely to read and his infatuation for the Halloween Prince was both comical and sexy.

Overall, this was a very fun read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute, queer Christmas read!

I wasn't sure about this one at first, but the more I read the more attached I got. It's a weird book, yes, but it's a lot of fun, and you can tell the author had a great time writing it.

A decent Christmas spicy romance with an interesting dynamic, this will probably appeal to those who enjoy Nightmare Before Christmas and Red, White and Royal Blue. However, for me I found the writing style to be overly simplistic and jarring compared to the overly adult content. The world building was also a little lacking and cunfusing at times with a strong political vibe at the start that didn't really fit with the romantic elements. I did like the relationship between Cole and Hex though.

A different holiday romance that does a fun job at combining my two favourite holidays, but I wanted more romance less politics.

I really wanted to love this one as it sounded like the perfect book to read this time of year but I sadly ended up dnf-ing it.

I just could not get on with our main characters and just found myself struggling with the story. I'm definitely the odd one out here because everyone else seems to love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly if you pitched a book to me that was all the holidays have royal families and the Prince of Christmas and Prince of Halloween are the stars of this and it’s a romance, I would probably just pass out. It was as every bit as insane as it sounds, whilst also being totally normal and fun and ridiculous and wholesome?!
I loved that we had so much political drama - yes I am that person that stays up on election night and watches the debates and talks constantly about how politicians are all absolutely terrible once they take on that role, so I was having a marvellous time.
I just adored Coal and Hex (10/10 on name choice all round), but especially fell in love with some of our side characters who we’re going to see more of in book 2! I will be gagging at all the Irish puns in it though as we have the crown prince of St Patrick in the next one - I hate my own life enough thank you very much.
But yes just fun times and I am so glad this book exists!

This was a perfect post-halloween, pre-christmas read! Full of romance, chaos and humor, just what you need to get yourself through the holidays. Not only is the romance between Hex and Coal exremly cute, but Sara Raasch also manages to write one of the best sibling relationships I have ever read. Every scene with Coal and Kris had me cackeling with joy and missing my own little sister.

I loved both main characters, Hex and Coal. The tension, the banter, the sweet moments, I loved everything about them. I loved the way they cared for each other and the way their relationship developed. Cheesy but so cute and perfect for the holidays

This was such a fun read, I was drawn to this one due to the Nightmare Before Christmas element, and it was the perfect bridge read for Halloween books to Christmas ones. I love a royalty book and its did not disappoint. The conversations had so much energy, it was so much fun reading them, especially between Coal and Hex. I cannot wait to read what Raasch does next.

A very seasonal spicy romcom, for fans of 'Red, White and Royal blue, who like it with a magical touch. The story was really refreshing and i enjoyed the way the characters were written and interreacted with one another. Hex and Coal were really enjoyable MMCs and if you are looking for a swoon worthy read. this is the one for you.

I really loved the holiday royalty aspect of this book, and was prepared to fall head over heels for the story. Unfortunately the "banter" kept pulling me out of it as I just couldn't stand how awful it was. I accept that a line or two of absolute cringe is expected in a rom com, but this felt non stop. So whilst I quite liked the wider world, I was embarrassed for the main characters and just wanted to leave them alone to be ridiculous without an audience.

Also, if you think you don't mind the cringe then absolutely pick this book up because otherwise it's lovely.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This was SO up my street its unreal. It was so easy and quick to get through and it was SO cute. I loved the characters in this book so, so much and I can't wait to reread this in December!!

This book is like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day. It’s adorable, funny, and addictive. I never wanted it to end!

This was a very fun romance with a surprising depth - of both character development and the world-building and machinations therein.

I really love the concept and look forward to seeing more holidays get into feuds and then into bed...

I had mixed feelings about this book. I was drawn to it because 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is one of my favorite movies, and with both Halloween and Christmas on the horizon, it seemed like the perfect read.

I really enjoyed the characters, especially Hex and Coal, who felt very lifelike. Their banter was a highlight for me, and I also appreciated the bond between Kris and Coal as brothers.

However, the romance felt a bit rushed for my taste. It leaned more toward instant attraction and focused heavily on the physical side, leaving me wishing for a bit more emotional buildup. Overall, it's a 3-star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in return for honest feedback

Coal is the Prince of Christmas who struggles with the responsibilities he will have to take on one day when his father is no longer the reigning Santa

But when his dad sets up an arranged marriage with his best friend Iris, the Princess of Easter to unite the holidays, Coal is not best pleased

To add more to the mix, Prince Hex of Halloween is brought in as a contenter to Iris's hand in marriage, but the spark may be there between the two Princes and a shared history, not the Princess as intended

I loved this one, I'm definitely more a Halloween Girl than a Christmas Girl so but the dynamics ans settings here were great. I also loved seeing Coals connections with his family and friends, and hope we might get more glimpses into this as the series continues

Great for spooky or Christmas season... out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Randomhouse for the review copy, all opinions my own

Thank you to @netgalley , the author, and @randomhouse for the arc of this book.
This was a fun, seasonal read to cosy up to. It had me from the "fans of Red White and Royal Blue and The Nightmare Before Christmas" comparison! It's a rivals to lovers with a twist story, as Coal and Hex have met before. When they both find themselves vying for the same princess' hand, what will happen when these two holiday rivals find that the chemistry isn't where they expect it to be? Can the princes of Christmas and Halloween find their happily ever after? This is another great seasonal read to be enjoyed with a blanket and either a peppermint hot chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte! #thenightmarebeforekissmas #seasonalreads #arc #netgalley #randomhouseuk

I enjoyed this book so much! It's a mix between a love triangle and fake relationship. Both Coal, the Prince of Christmas, and Hex, the Prince of Halloween, are vying for Iris', the Princess of Easter, hand on marriage. Iris doesn't have romantic feelings for them, and saying that Coal and Hex don't like each other would be a lie...a steamy night proves otherwise! However, the facade marriage needs to go through, so that the best holiday, oops, I meant man, win!

I thought this was a cute and wholesome love story.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for a digital ARC of the book.