Unfortunately this romance novel wasn't for me - I found the character voices quite grating and wasn't interested in continuing beyond the early sections.

I love Christmas, I love Halloween, I love the Nightmare Before Christmas so obviously I loved reading about one prince from each, trying to do what’s right and bring Christmas back to its joyful roots. This was super cute and had me giggling and squealing from the tension and then the love 🥰 Coal and Hex bring out the best in each other and help see their ‘flaws’ as strengths. Coals wee journey of self discovery with Hex by his side was adorable but he hits a few snags along the way. So you know, carnage ensues. I really enjoyed seeing Coal create real joy in his life, his holiday and the rest of the holiday courts. Also Prince Hex is a real brooding spitfire and an absolute delight.

Being a side character fiend I liked how you found out just enough about them to keep you hooked and I really need to see their happy endings, considering the few crumbs we got at the end of the story. I’m excited to see what’s next!

I absolutely loved this! I really liked the concept of this book and I’ve never read anything similar before in terms of having different holiday royalty.
I loved the relationship between Coal, the Christmas prince, and Hex, the Halloween prince and there was also some great side characters in Kris and Iris!
🎄forbidden romance
🎃 slow burn
🎄 holiday royalty
🎃 lgbtq+ romance
🎄 spice

I’m looking forward to reading Kris’s book next!

This review is for The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch which will be released in the UK on the 10th October! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Penguin for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I genuinely had no idea what to expect when going into this book, and it was such a fun and lighthearted but also secretly deep story. It focuses on the Heir of Christmas Nicholas (or Coal) and the Prince of Halloween, Hex Hallow. Both with a surprising amount of weight on their shoulders from their responsibilities as heirs of their holiday families.

I loved the world in this story, as well as the super unquote magic system where the separate holidays we know and love all have separate families in charge of them, who are in charge of the ‘joy’ created from their holiday. I also loved the characters and their growth through the book, especially Coal where you see him finally become more confident in himself and his choices.

The story was also super heartwarming and I loved the focus on self growth as well as learning how to be a better person for the people you love. As I said, both a super lighthearted (even sometimes a little cringe) yet suprisingly deep story that I ended up binging in a day.
Can’t wait to see what’s next in the series!

Netgalley, thank you for this earc, all opinions are my own.

The idea of this book is lovely, a mix of Boyfriend Material and The Nightmare before Christmas? Sounds good to me!

The things I liked: Hex and Coal's chemistry is well done and both characters feel life like. I also liked that they are in love from the get-go. Also their romance is so cute and lovely. There is not a lot of drama there. I liked Kris and Iris as well.
The plot, in theory, is pretty cool too.

What I didnt like: the book felt a bit out of balance. Like the writer was very enthusiastic about her idea (and rightfully so!) and flew a bit out of control with it. I feel that at some point her editor should have reined her in somewhat. At some point I became a little bit annoyed with Coal's repetitive issues. The high stakes drama could have been somewhat lower stakes, because it fizzled out really quickly. So, yeah, in the end it was a bit more mediocre than expected.

When Halloween Met Christmas

The Nightmare Before Kissmas
Sara Raasch,
19th Sept 2024

Prince Nicholas – aka Coal – is Santa’s heir, and has tried his best to avoid the responsibility for ages. But he’s older now and his father has demanded he step up and marry Princess Iris (Easter). His best friend, someone he has no romantic feelings for and the woman he knows his brother Kris loves.
North Pole City and the Christmas palace is all about image, so Coal shouldn’t have been surprised that his dad ambushed them in front of reporters and announced that he was courting the Easter royal.
Known as the comedic, irresponsible jokester, Coal’s life changes the day Prince Hex Hallow of the Halloween court walks into Christmas.
He’s the same handsome goth like man he shared a whirlwind kiss with a year and a half ago.
Coal remembers when his dad cared about the holiday, before it was about “cheap plastic trinkets”.
This wonderful and magical MM romance sees Hex and Coal become closer even as Coal discovers dark secrets about his own father; Santa’s mission to expand everywhere at the cost of all the other winter holidays.
Hex is there to play pretend, to appease Halloween into thinking he has a chance at wooing Iris, even if neither of them really wants it.
Amidst the main romance story arc, we have the grief that both Coal and Kris experience having been abandoned by their mother as young boys, watching their dad become a man they don’t recognise, plus hidden power plays with the different holidays as pawns on a chess board.
There’s also the public persona of the royal family, the glitter and valueless joy they represent hiding a much more poignant reality. Despite these themes, this book is full of laughter.
The group chat that Coal keeps renaming with bad Christmas puns, the Elf on a Shelf threat that Kris aims his brother’s way, the brimming romance between the two young men and the rediscovery of Christmas joy.
Add in the teasing and the chemistry plus the support characters including Renee and Wren and you have a novel bursting with seasonal delight, fun, and a Tim Burtonesque Halloween Prince.
I adored this book and we’ve already had a reveal for Kris’ story, so I can’t wait to meet many more people from the Holidays across the world.
If Jack and Sally were queer and you blended in a dash of a Netflix Christmas film, this book is what you would end up with.

So Penguin Random House reached out to me and asked if I wanted to read an ARC of this book on NetGalley. The title and cover alone sold me but the premise sounded awesome.

AHHHHHH I loved this book so much. I have never in my life read a book that has made me “kick my feet” or “squeal” but this 100% did that. Hex and Coal are officially my favourite book couple of all time. Halloween and Christmas are also my favourite holidays so that made this book all the more enjoyable and I highly recommend reading it in October or December because the vibes are excellent.

There were some parts where I literally cried. I’m not going to put any direct quotes in here because I read the ARC copy but Hex and Coal are so damn CUTE together. Hex was absolutely adorable, I love him and he must be protected at all costs. Coal grew so much as a character and he was so brave and passionate about improving the way Christmas operated. The way these two opened up to each other and realised they’d found someone to confide in and be vulnerable with actually made my heart hurt. This was such a healthy and special relationship which is refreshing to read about!

I have one complaint. SARA THAT ENDING!? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOWWWWWWWW! If you want a book that is going to make your heart spontaneously combust then look no further. I am obsessed. This comes out on 10th October just in time for Halloween! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy so I can annotate it 😍

It's giving Red, White and Royal Blue. But for prince's of the seasons.


This did not hot for me. The romance was too insta love. And the story far to based on the political side rather than romance Concidering it's a romance book.

Have you ever thought to yourself 'what if Red, White & Royal Blue met a holiday-themed fantasy world?' Because if you have, look no further! The Nightmare Before Kissmas was a heart-filled, emotionally devastating, hilarious, politically intriguing romantasy-comedy that is sure to become a forever star of the genre.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas follows Christmas Prince Nicholas 'Coal' Clause, as he returns home for Christmas, only to discover his father (perpetually furious, and very concerned with appearances) has been scheming. Stuck in a fake-dating-to-arranged-marriage pipeline with best friend, and Easter Princess, Iris, Coal doesn't think things can get much worse. Cue Halloween. Unhappy with the Christmas King's machinations, Halloween agrees to send their own Prince, Hex Hallow, to compete with Coal for Iris's hand. Things take a turn when Coal recognises Halloween's darkly beautiful Prince, and it all gets romantic from there!

You can tell that Raasch used to write huge, sprawling, 'serious' fantasy novels, because the world here, as much as it is a bit silly (and meant to be!), is so well constructed. The family dynamics are another stand-out here, Raasch really makes you care for these people and their subplots. In so many ways this reminded my of McQuiston's wildly popular RW&RB, largely because of the fully-fleshed, and exceptionally noble, men at the centre of the story. The novel sucked me in, I laughed, I cried (genuinely, there's a few emotional sucker-punches in this), I wanted it to go on forever. This book is an exceptional display of writing skill, and an utterly un-put-down-able story; a reminder to all of us that excellent writers, writing with passion, will always produce something brilliant.

5 very deserved stars.

3.5/5 stars

The Nightmare Before Kissmas is a holiday romantic comedy where the Princes of Christmas and Halloween fall for each other. Nicholas “Coal” Claus is the screw-up royal Christmas heir so his dad decides to arrange a marriage between him and his best friend Iris, the Easter Princess, to tie their Holidays together. But the Halloween court won’t take that kind of alliance lying down and send the Prince of Halloween Hex to compete for Iris’ hand in marriage. The competition can’t get any faker when the two competing Princes are more interested in each other than the Princess.

The premise sets up a very silly and quirky romantasy that reads like a romantic comedy with a bisexual prince, a gay prince and a bisexual princess. Told entirely from Coal’s perspective, the book doesn’t start off great as he is put in a terrible light as a screw up from the get go and with many valid points put against him. But once the main plot gets going, I was won over with the relationships and banter. Coal, Iris, and Coal’s younger brother Kris form a central trio that just works, and the brotherly bond between Coal and Kris absolutely shines (and is probably the most well developed relationship in the book). Coal and Hex’s romance may have been quick, but their banter just hit and the chemistry undeniable with some clear tension and attraction.

There is a surprising heavy dose of Holiday politics involved in the plot akin to political factions in political fantasies or corporate conglomerates in contemporary fiction. You can really tell that this started out as a high fantasy book. I thought the politics were far deeper and more complex than it needed to be, but it does set up more possibilities for future installments involving other holidays (I am already looking forward to the next one just from the included teaser here). It’s also got some heavy topics like parental abandonment, coercion, and trauma but delivers an otherwise lighthearted story with holiday cheer, queer joy, and tempered spice.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas is a queer Christmas romcom that’s heavy on holiday politics.

This was different. I like seasonal books and that’s what drew me to this. It’s a mix of Halloween/Christmas, queer, fantasy romcom.
I’d read it again! The cover though is…. Bad.

I loved this book, and am sad I can't find any special edition copies for purchase!

It was Red, White and Royal Blue, mixed with The Princess Diaries 2, mixed with Arthur Christmas, which, frankly, are all some of my favourite things.

Laugh-out-loud funny moments were mixed with cute family snapshots and the angst of being a twenty-something disappointment. I especially loved the relationship between the Claus brothers, who were so sweet. Their relationship was genuine, and their support for each other was rational in the context of their dysfunctional parental figures. I loved the fact that Father Christmas wasn't the sweet, lovable guy you expect to find in a festive book and that it allowed for some weight outside of the frothy romance side of the plot.

Raasch wrote at the start that this book was written for the readers, as a bit of escapism and enjoyment. She wrote exactly what she intended and I'm certain this is a story that will give me the giggles through many winters to come. Looking forward to the next book!

This was a very different kind of read for me but when I read the overview I was really drawn to the book and I’m so glad I was approved to read it. The story is a real fun one with lots of silliness and romance and the pages just flew by. I loved the setting of the story in the land of Christmas it felt very magical and lots of references to the traditions the go along the whole Christmas experience.
This was my first book by this author and was also pleased to see this is book one of a series so I shall be looking forward to reading more in the future.
So as I say a different read that was lighthearted and just what I needed and one I can highly recommend especially if you want something different.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Nightmare Before Kissmas' by Sara Raasch.

This book was everything you need for a winter romance; lighthearted, funny and gay. The Prince of Christmas x The Prince of Halloween is a combo you've seen before but not in such an entertaining way like how Sara Raasch did it. Absolutely joyful.

This book is a light and festive holiday romance, blending Halloween and Christmas themes with ease. It offers a diverse cast of characters, plenty of humor, and a touch of spice wrapped up in cozy, albeit cringeworthy, holiday clichés. While the concept is charming, the execution occasionally falls flat, with some of the banter and situations feeling forced or overly cheesy. Still, if you’re looking for a feel-good read with playful nods to both spooky season and Christmas cheer—complete with ugly sweaters—this one checks the boxes. It's enjoyable enough, but expect some eye-rolling moments along the way.

Im not usually one for romance or seasonal reads but damn. Well known bisexual disaster Coal has his life planned out and dictated by his dad, the current Santa, as the prince and heir of Christmas. Plagued by a drunken kiss a year ago he’s improved his behaviour and tried to not be an embarrassment to his holiday. Now his father and the head of Easter have dropped him and his best friend in a arranged marriage, publicly. Halloween isn’t happy and in turn send someone to court the princess of Easter, but as Hex turns up Coal realises it’s the man he’s been fantasising about all year, the stranger he kissed. A fake courtship unfolds, Christmas is being corrupted by the current Santa and his controlling needs, it’s up to the Christmas boys, coal and kris, along with Easter princess iris and Halloween heir Hex to figure out not only their feelings but the future of their holidays

This is the perfect holiday romance read, both for Halloween and for Christmas. It has everything you'll want, from diverse characters, funny banter, some spice AND ugly Christmas sweaters.

this was CRINGEEEEE so silly it defies a real star rating because it's so dated in so many ways. but it's harmless. unserious! three stars i guess!

Cute romance story with good characters. Nice combination of Halloween and Christmas. Front cover of the book is good.

Loved this super cute holiday romance! This is first and foremost a Christmas romance -there just aren't enough Halloween based romances and I would have loved to see more of the Halloween world.

I did love the bisexual representation in this, both Hex and Coal are cute and their sexual tension is hot. They felt a little young and some of their behaviour was a bit juvenile but the story was fun and frivolous and perfect for the holiday season. I am already planning to re-read at Christmas!

The world building sucked me in right away and I had no problems buying into this world of holiday based royal families. I hope there will be more based in this same world as I am already shipping Kris and Iris...