by Sara Raasch
First published 2024
Nicholas "Coal" Claus has grown to hate the holiday his family rules. His father transformed Christmas into empty spectacle, leaving Coal desperate for escape. One night behind a seedy bar, he finds temporary freedom in a drunken makeout session with a gorgeous stranger. Then duty calls. Coal must marry Iris, the Easter Princess, in an arrangement that will break his brother's heart since his brother loves her. The situation gets worse when a challenger arrives to compete for Iris's hand. Coal discovers his mysterious bar encounter was with Hex, the Prince of Halloween, who now stands as his official rival. The two princes must pretend to fight over a bride neither wants while hiding their real attraction to each other. Coal faces an impossible choice between family obligation and personal desire as the fake competition spirals into genuine chaos.
Genres: romance, fantasy, holiday
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Christmas, Halloween
Period: Holiday
357 pages · Paperback · Bramble
Content warnings: sexual-content