Patrick Hargrave and Quinn Muller have been married for less than a year, but their passionate romance is cracking under the pressures of domestic life and a cumbersome mortgage. That’s until Christmas Eve when Patrick wakes Quinn up with: “I think I’ve killed a man.”
Quinn realizes the “burglar” Patrick knocked out is none other than Mr. Claus himself. Instructed by a harried elf to don the red suit and take the reins of the reindeer-guided sleigh up on the roof, Quinn and Patrick work together to save Christmas.
But as the sun rises on Christmas morning, the sleigh brings them back to the North Pole instead of New Jersey, and they’re in for a massive shock. The couple must assume the roles of Santa Claus and the first ever Merriest Mister or Christmas will be canceled… permanently.
With Christmas—and their marriage—on the line, Patrick and Quinn agree to stay together for one year. But can running a toy shop together save their relationship, or will Patrick and Quinn be stuffing coal in each other’s stockings come next Christmas?
The Merriest Misters is a queer holiday romantic comedy with all the vibes of a magical holiday Hallmark film. The story follows husbands Quinn, a school teacher, and Patrick, an overworked architect who gets laid off early in the story. When Patrick accidentally knocks out Santa on Christmas Eve, Santa quits his job, leaving Christmas in jeopardy. Patrick and Quinn agree to take over Santa’s duties for the night and are whisked to the North Pole via an enchanted cloak. Once acquainted with the world there, they decide to stay on, taking on Santa and “Merriest Mister” duties for the year, abandoning their lives back home. But living 24/7 in the North Pole proves to test their already strained relationship, and they soon must decide if they want the same things going forward.
This book is unlike Janovsky’s previous books, without the typical spice or traditional queer themes, but instead a magical Christmas story that can definitely find a wide audience. The book has been compared to “The Santa Clause” film, but with a queer twist, and is a great option for the holiday season with its abundance of humor, romance, holiday cheer, and magical realism. This isn’t your typical queer romance, where the characters are dealing with acceptance/inequality issues or coming out—the story instead focuses on the struggles of maintaining healthy relationships while being true to yourself in the process, and for this reason it’s a very refreshing read!
The story is told from the two very different perspectives of Patrick and Quinn, where readers get to hear the inner monologues of both characters and both sides of the relationship turmoil. The story is also quite sentimental and contains many flashback scenes showing the origin of Patrick and Quinn’s relationship from their college days. Their romance evolves from friends to lovers, with some very sweet scenes that romance lovers will appreciate. In the present day, their marriage has lost its passion as the couple has gotten caught up with their careers and fixing up an old house. If you’re expecting this to be a cheerful story from beginning to end, you may be disappointed. As their relationship is tested in the North Pole, the couple has some very serious and relatable conversations about their futures, and they contemplate whether staying together is in their best interests. The author does a wonderful job depicting how couples can grow apart due to poor communication and different expectations. Not only do Patrick and Quinn grow as a couple, but they realize that their individual dreams should not be forfeited for the sake of the relationship. As this is a holiday romance story, it does end in the expected “HEA,” but it’s an unconventional one that leaves questions unanswered and won’t please all readers.
Overall, this is a festive holiday romance with meaningful messages and great character development. While many reviews may deem it as a retelling of “The Santa Clause” film, the story delves into deeper themes such as marital issues, family expectations, and maintaining your own identity in a partnership. If you enjoy holiday stories that include lovable characters, Christmas magic, elves, romance, and where characters rediscover the magic in a life gone stale, then you’ll enjoy this book! It’s also a great option for anyone looking to add a unique story to their holiday reading list this year!
