The Nightmare Before Kissmas was one of my favorite reads last year. Hex and Coal hold a special place in my heart, and I truly cannot gush enough about their story. So when I got a chance to read Go Luck Yourself early, I immediately jumped at the chance. And I was not disappointed, in fact, I liked it more than the first book!
This book expertly flips the script on the formula we saw in the first book. While Hex was the visitor to the Christmas kingdom, this story has Kris Claus on a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of St. Patrick's Day after they discovered someone was stealing their magic and left a single shamrock behind. However, Kris also finds out the Crown Prince of St. Patrick's Day is stuck in a scandal of Kris' doing - and has been hounded by the press that normally never paid any attention to him.
I cannot emphasize how much I adored the absolute pining of this book. Kris and Loch's move from enemies to lovers was realistic and angsty. Each of them is broken because of their parents, and as a result, are terrible at thinking about what they want. It was a common bond that showed exactly why they needed each other. Kris was so used to being the one to take care of everyone, that having someone take care of him made him feel seen. Loch is so used to his poor reputation, that he has no idea what to do when someone sees the real him. I have never screamed over holding pinkies as much as I did in this book, and I love how realistic their relationship was, despite the fact it was surrounded by magic.
In addition, I appreciated this take on St. Patrick's Day. It didn't shy away from some of the more problematic sides of the holiday, but it also allowed a lens to see it differently: that it's an important exploration of Irish culture and their strength and resistance against so many different factors across their history. I liked the different views of the holiday, and I appreciated how much research Sara Raasch clearly put into making sure all facets of it were shown accurately.
The mystery aspect of the book was also a nice twist to keep it from feeling like it was a copy of the first book. Not only did it add an extra layer of guilt for Kris, but it also led to some fascinating revelations about how the magical world the series takes place in works. I loved getting an explanation about how magic works, and how theft of magic was even possible. The way it seamlessly kept the plot moving while expanding the world so naturally was brilliant, and it reminded me of how special these holiday kingdoms are.
Sara Raasch has convinced me that she's an insta-buy author for me with the Royals and Romance series, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. And I hope she comes back to the world someday because Iris and Finn are right there practically begging to be their own book. And I would love to see them get the happily ever after they deserve.
Go Luck Yourself is available for preorder through Macmillan Publishers and will release on March 11, 2025.