The Nightmare Before Kissmas
A Royals and Romance Novel
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4.5 • 51 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
AN INSTANT USA TODAY AND INDIE BESTSELLER!
Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky rom-com where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.
Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.
But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.
Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.
It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This fantasy-infused rom-com brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “holiday romance.” As the Prince of Christmas, Coal really shouldn’t be making out with cute random guys in bars—the paparazzi would have a field day. But that’s how he stumbled his way into a relationship with Hex, the Prince of Halloween. Unfortunately, now things are a bit awkward politically, since both princes are supposed to be competing for the affections of Iris, the Princess of Easter (who happens to be Coal’s best friend). This lighthearted romp is just as charming as it sounds. Refreshingly, the couple don’t need much convincing to pursue their undeniable spark, it’s just a question of how they’ll make it work. And we adored the cast of supporting characters, especially Coal’s lovable brother, Kris. If you love a royal romance with a whimsical twist, don’t miss The Nightmare Before Kissmas.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Raasch (The Fate of Magic) opens the Royals and Romance series with a fantastical love story that's equal parts playful and earnest. Nicholas "Coal" Claus, Prince of Christmas, is a well-intentioned screwup and perpetual disappointment to his father, the reigning Santa. While Coal's home from college on Christmas break, King Claus announces Coal's betrothal to his best friend Iris, Princess of Easter, as a way to cement the two Holiday Kingdoms' alliance, even though neither Coal nor Iris wants this union. Complicating matters, Prince Hex of Halloween arrives to compete for Iris's hand. Coal is surprised to recognize Hex as the guy he kissed on the worst day of his life and soon finds himself crushing hard. As the three royals navigate a tangled web of deceit, duty, and desire, they also contend with King Claus's ruthless political gambit to make Christmas the most powerful Holiday of all. Can Coal win the heart of Halloween while saving the soul of Christmas? Raasch touches on the cultural and religious significance of the holidays she's playing with only lightly, somewhat shortchanging the worldbuilding to instead keep the focus largely on Coal and Hex's turbulent and steamy relationship. The result is a delightful paranormal rom-com that sets up the series for good things to come.
Customer Reviews
Joyful like Bitter Candy
First and foremost, grateful for the author’s middle finger to bi-erasure with two (if not four) bi characters who embody what unambiguous queerness can be.
This book’s camp title could go either way if the author didn’t clearly have the writing skills to back it up. She crafts an excellent world that I’m excited to return to and allows her characters to be individuals with messy and complicated backgrounds that for the most part don’t need insane amounts of exposition. The political story is an enticing backdrop to the VERY hot romance. Wonderful erotic scenes consummate a well earned adventure towards the conclusion. The wrap up to the story was a bit quick for the buildup but that is definitely no sin in a world where sometimes a book just needs to conclude. Excited for the next installment!
Burned so slow I was charred when the flames kicked
I have had this in my TBR for months, those bookstagram reels having me in a choke hold. I was not prepared for the trance the detailed decor, smells, or even explained sensations. The humor and seriousness balancing beautifully. 10/10