Hello my Lil’ Shadows.
This past month has been rough; weather can’t decide if it wants to be sunny, foggy, or raining. I actually did not want to get out of bed one day when I woke up to the sound of rain pounding against my window. Even when I sat in my car just outside my workplace, I watched the rain falling sideways and rushing as though its main goal is to drench every single one of my coworkers before they could enter those doors. At that moment, knowing I only have approximately 10 minutes before I had to clocked in, I thought ‘I don’t want to go.’.
Can you blame me? At that moment, with the rain heavy and me struggling to recover from whatever flu or virus that was currently in the air, I felt tired. Doesn’t help that I started a new course in Data Analytics in hopes to better improve my future. My head is filled with so much information and nonsense that I have no motivation to read or do any of my hobbies. Not even to update my blog but that day, as I sat in my car, I promised myself to at least listen to an audiobook I had borrowed from my public library (my work allows us poor workers to use work-approved headphones for our shifts). So listening at 1.25 speed, I ‘read’ Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch, narrated by Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick.
Go Luck Yourself is the 2nd book of the Royals and Romance series, a direct sequel to The Nightmare Before Kissmas. Honestly, you don’t really need to the first book to understand the 2nd. I’ll be honest, I was still 100 or so pages in the first book, have been since mid-January when I started the audiobook but I promised myself to finish the book before the month ended.
Okay, now that I finished my rumbling, onto the book review!
Following the events of 1st book, Nicholas ‘Coal’ Claus has taken over his father’s duties and started restructuring Christmas, leaving Kristopher ‘Kris’ Claus floundering. The girl he thought he loved wasn’t exactly who he imagine she would be, at least to him that is. Iris, one of the princesses of Easter and their best friend, was a fantasy he had assumed he needed to love, an imagine he created. Now, Kris doesn’t know what to do except return to Cambridge, on the strong encouragement of his brother. So, when he received a message from Coal claiming that their father, the current Santa and King of Christmas, wanted to step down and transfer everything to him (Coal, not Kris much to his relief), he was shocked. Their father, who once held strict control over Christmas, is actually stepping down?
Yet, Kris returned to their home and stood witness as his brother, Coal, become the new Santa and King of Christmas but is blindsided when their father exclaimed he’s going on vacation, straight to the woman who abandoned them, their mother. If that wasn’t bad enough, just after their father left, they discovered that someone is stealing the Christmas Joy. Karmic justice at its finest. The only clue they have to the culprit is a single shamrock. St. Patrick’s Day but why?
Hoping to be useful once more, Kris volunteers to investigate as an ambassador to foster goodwill between holidays except there’s a slight hiccup. St. Patrick’s Prince? He’s the student Kris had a slight argument with just the day before, one who’s now trending in the worst way possible. Now, it smooth over any tensions, both Kris and Lochlann ‘Loch’ Patrick must pretend to be friends for the tabloids but that proves to be difficult for Kris.
Kris must spend five days with Loch’s family for St. Patrick’s Day and try to figure out who exactly is stealing Christmas’ magic but the real challenge may be himself.
Now that I got the summary out of the way, I can now write down my thoughts. First off, I greatly enjoyed this book. It’s a classic enemies to lovers troupe and it does get a little steamy at the end (Ch. 15 and onward) so be aware as well as it is a lgbtqia+ book, meaning it is M/M romance. Second, I actually like how Sara touches on the mental issues Kris is facing.
The 1st book focuses on Coal and his challenges but now, this one focuses on the younger brother, Kris’ challenges. Kris, himself, is struggling with a mild case of depression; a result from child abandonment and neglect, sidelined to the shadows and struggled with the urged to be needed. To be seen.
Now, this will end up deep so bear with me. (Don’t want to read? Go straight to the ***) The struggles Kris goes through is relatable to me in a personal level. The mental issues, that is. I’m fortunate that I have loving parents growing up, though strict, but I did and currently am suffering from depression and anxiety. It’s not a good feeling, this suffocating sensation that surrounds you with little to no warning. It makes you feel small, your surroundings too big, too loud and you don’t know what to do.
Your mind. God, your mind works against you. All those thoughts, those little voices only you can hear, echoing within you. Telling you things, reminding you of your mistakes. You try to argue, counteract against them with logic and reasoning but those voices, they fight back. It’s a never-ending cycle that doesn’t stop until you break. And the anxiety, dear god, the anxiety. I’m unsure how it is with others but for me, it starts with this crawling sensation underneath my skin. I describe it as ants climbing up my limbs. My hands shake and everything around me becomes loud. Any movement makes me flinch, noises become unbearable and I just want to run.
So, on a personal level, I understand Kris. I feel his struggles and just want to go grab his hands and draw him into a hug. Just to hold him and tell him, ‘I understand. It’s okay to break and just cry. You don’t need to be strong all the time.‘
*** Okay, deep feelings done. This book is good, a four star review from me but that’s mostly because I’m done with this boy’s foolishness. (I’m jealous that Kris has such a strong support from his brother and their friends. Funny, huh? I’m jealous of a fictional character but that what’s books are for, to provide an escape from the struggles of real life.) His back and forth argument with himself is both amusing and exasperating but you can track how he slowly reclaims his life as the story continues.
Honestly, if you’re looking for a good St. Patrick’s Day book, this is the one for you. And hey! Sara even hints what the next pairing may be for the next Royals and Romance series. My only question is will the marriage between Easter and St. Valentine’s ever occur? (Trust me, this will make more sense once you read either The Nightmare before Kissmas or Go Luck Yourself.)
If you happened to read Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch and like it, go read her other books. Or, if you want, go to her website and see for yourself!. https://www.sararaaschbooks.com
Till next time Lil’ Shadows and safe travels!
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