Bubbling up with Helena

• Title: The Merriest Misters
• Author: Timothy Janovsky
• Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin
• Release Date: 10/1/24
• Genre: Romance
• Age Range: Adult
• Rating: ★★★★★
• Publisher’s Summary: The Santa Clause meets Husband Material in this delightful holiday novel! Fixing Christmas? Easy. Fixing their marriage? Not so much. 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 ‘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 cancelled . . . 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 first Timothy Janovsky novel I read was, You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince, and I loved it. Janovsky brings whimsy and humor to all of his books, and a dose of holiday magic just makes the romance all the more special. The Merriest Misters is a second chance holiday romance that had me smiling the whole way through.

Yes, I am Jewish, but I love Christmas romance novels and Christmas movies. The Santa Clause is one of my favorite Christmas movies, and I loved that The Merriest Misters gave me The Santa Clause vibes. Patrick takes on the role of Santa when the he knocks out the previous Santa, and he quits the job.

When Patrick and Quinn make it to the North Pole, they not only meet elves, but they also meet couples who used to serve as Mr. and Mrs. Claus. These couples not only give them advice on how to serves as Santa and his Merriest Mister, but they also give them relationship advice. I loved that each of these couples was so different. There is something so reassuring about thinking about all kinds of people taking on the role of Santa Claus.

Most romance novels don’t start with the protoganists together, much less married. Patrick and Quinn start The Merriest Misters married, but they are struggling in their marriage. Quinn feels abandoned by Patrick, who always seems to be working at his desk. They have become disconnected, and are no longer communicating. Patrick doesn’t even tell Quinn when he is fired by his architechture firm. Moving to the North Pole gives them a second chance at their relationship.

The North Pole gives Patrick and Quinn a chance to explore who they really are. Quinn, who is a teacher, mentors an anxious elf and helps them gain confidence in their writing. Patrick, an architect, comes into his own designing a new workshop. Their relationship also flourishes in this environment, helped by this self-assuredness from both of them.

In The Merriest Misters, The North Pole runs on love, specifically the love between Santa Claus and his spouse. When they arrive and their relationship starts to heal, Patrick and Quinn are able to keep The North Pole running as expected. At a certain point, they don’t se eye to eye about their lives long term, and the magic starts to fade. The stakes are high here, but it is also so wholesome. It’s almost impossible not to root for Patrick and Quinn because their love could save Christmas!

Throughout The Merriest Misters, the reader gets flashbacks to Patrick and Quinn meeting and other moments of their earlier relationship. These chapters made me even more invested in their relationship. I especially loved that when Quinn and Patrick first met, Patrick was wearing a Santa suit. Getting to see their journey before their relationship hit a rough patch showed the reader how much they mean to each other and infused the story with more hope.

The Merriest Misters is probably my favorite of Janovsky’s work. It is so sweet and magical. It is everything you could ever want from a holiday romance. It would also make an excellent movie. Here’s hoping that happens one day.