A review by oliviaoverthinkseverything
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"I don't know if feeling good should be the goal," he says, still in that brittle, aching tone. "It's more realistic to center on little things. One thing, each day, that isn't sullied by grief. One by one by one until you've started to rebuild the foundation that got obliterated. Because that's what happiness is, at the root. A foundation. And foundations aren't ever one thing, they're many little things interlocked together."

Disaster bisexual Nicholas Claus (Coal, to his friends) is the wayward heir of Christmas and a constant thorn in his dad (the reigning Santa)'s side. After a well-intentioned gesture of goodwill ends in disaster and economic collapse, Coal finds himself behind his favorite bar in New Haven, Connecticut, spilling his heart to a mysterious stranger. And then, you know, making out with him a bit. As you do.

A year and a half later, Coal is blindsided when his dad announces his impending engagement to Iris, one of Easter's princesses and his best friend, without any forewarning. If that isn't bad enough, he also learns that he's expected to fabricate a rivalry with Hex Hallow, the heir of Halloween...and the mysterious man he met behind the bar.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas is the first book in the Royals and Romance series by Sara Raasch. This series is set in a world where holidays are overseen and cared for by corresponding realms. If you've seen Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas or Disney Channel's Halloweentown, you get the picture. Since this is the first installment in the series, there is a good amount of worldbuilding woven throughout Coal and Hex's story. 

I went into this book expecting a cozy, fun holiday romance. While those elements are definitely present, I was surprised by the thematic depth of such a lighthearted story. Through the lens of the Christmas royal machine, Raasch explores ideas of grief and trauma, nationalism, imperialism, hegemony, labor organization, and the appropriate use of privilege and power to advocate for the oppressed. I'm excited to read more in this world, starting with the next book scheduled to release March 2025. 

Recommended by: Brea Grant on the Reading Glasses podcast
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