This was one of those that almost didn’t happen. Not because of anything particular in the book, even though it does start off pretty slow.
And OOF—it took me so long to get this, Raasch is actually getting ready to publish the sequel next month, which the publisher has also reached out to me about!* And after finishing this one I did accept, so fingers crossed I get to it a lot sooner than it took me to get to this one.
This book starts off with a bang and then drags for a good bit, for me at least. A huge chunk of this is because there was so much world building and background information that had to be provided in order for it to make sense. And I get it, but I wonder if there was a better way to go about it. The book was billed as a romance—and it is—however, it is also a political intrigue/royal court novel and that seemed to overtake the romance through the middle third (or more!) of the novel.
Some of my meh and dragging out the reason was Coal’s attitude and general annoying persona. I really feel if either the romance or the coming into his own would’ve started a little earlier I would’ve gotten hooked and read it a lot faster, but the perceived-spoiled brat party persona really slowed it down for me. That being said he grew so much in the novel, so I could truly appreciate it. Kris and Iris were fantastic supporting characters and, Hex, the Halloween prince and love interest was perfect.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good slow burn and the fact that Coal and Hex kiss in the first chapter (even though we don’t officially know it’s Hex for some time) and then don’t meet again for quite a while is fine. But it felt so dragged out, by time they kissed again around the 2/3 mark I was ready to throw my Kindle out the window.
I do think that Raasch might’ve tried to put too much into the novel, there seemed to be so many sub-stories (not really full plots, but broader world building maybe?) that didn’t necessarily seem to fit the main storyline making it super convoluted. There was the intrigue in the Easter court that never went anywhere, there was the main Christmas taking over plot, there was the Hex history with his sister, the school stories to start, it was just a lot and streamlining it a little bit more might’ve made it that much easier to get through.
I don’t seek out a lot of bisexual romances, I do read them but more by accident in the MM Romance genre. I truly enjoyed the bi representation and the breaking stereotypes but also leaning into self-deprecating stereotypes:
Another thing tha bonded us over the years: the absolute bi confusion induced by movies like Pirates of the Caribbean or The Mummy. Kris got in on that confusion too, but the only thing stopping me from calling us NSYNC (ya know, Bi Bi Bi) was him cringing at any kind of label, and when I told Iris, ‘I guess that forces you and me to be Bi Bi Buddies, but the first Bi is for two,’ she’d smacked the back of my head. Which was just proof that I am way too much of a loud-mouthed asshole to be her type, and she has her shit together too much to be mine. What can I say, I get off on a mess. Like calls to like. (Chapter 3)
He’s laughing. ‘Good lord, dude. You walked over to me, said you needed my help, then immediately zoned out to stare at the guy you’re sleeping with. You are the poster boy for disaster bisexuals.’ (Chapter 17)
And of course, as per usual, I’m always a sucker for a meta reference in a romance novel. I mean it just makes me so happy to see authors either making fun of themselves or their characters with the self-referential:
“I point at the starlit sky and the rolling hills of ivory and the cozy bookshelves and the pulsing light of a crackling fire like all of it is solely responsible for being so picturesque that we may as well be standing in a romance novel.” (Chapter 8)
I’m glad I accepted the ARC and I’m looking forward to reading the followup, Go Luck Yourself, and I do hope some of the other vague references and storylines are mentioned again or wrapped up in it (looking at you Iris and the Easter court).
Recommendation: It’s a great premise and a fun read. I struggled a little bit with getting into it, mostly because of Coals’ attitude/general character, but I’m glad that I stuck with it because he grew so much and really grew into his own. There were some minor annoyances I had in the side-stories, but now for sure knowing there is a sequel they make a bit more sense in that Raasch didn’t have to wrap them all up in the first novel. I’m definitely looking forward to the follow-up and fingers crossed it’s a little less of a slog for me because Kris definitely seems to have his act together more so than Coal.
*I received a copy of The Nightmare before Kissmass via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.
Opening Line: “I don’t know why I thought I could pull it off.”
Closing Line: “Yeah. I think that fits best of all.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.”
Additional Quotes from The Nightmare Before Kissmass
“Because I just got dumped. Is there some kind of moratorium on flirting post-breakup? There should definitely be a moratorium on flirting post-collapsing-an-entire-economy.” (Chapter 1)
“Holidays come and go. That’s the reality of our world. Traditions change, and what was once a celebration of a god becomes a celebration of a harvest, evolving with the ways people grow; or forcibly, with colonization. And while the Holidays listed in Dad’s file have waned, they aren’t in any way slipping into obscurity, and neither is Christmas, not by a long shot.” (Chapter 9)
“‘You were expecting a hot mess, and I’m really a supernova mess?’
His smile is dazed. ‘In an endearing way, you’ve been . . . honorable?’
‘Honorable? Ha. Sure.’
‘You are. Like some kind of red and green Captain America.’
That joke only lands because I am so obviously not anything remotely superhero worthy.” (Chapter 12)
“Part of me will never understand how you can see something worthwhile in me. Will never understand how I got lucky enough that you not only come bak to me, but want me. Is terrified that this is all some joke I’m not getting because what the fuck did I do to deserve you.” (Chapter 16)