The Greatest Pub in the Multiverse

Greatest in the Multiverse #2

by Herman Steuernagel

A heartwarming tale of friendship, acceptance, and the magic of second chances.

James O'Sullivan never wanted to return to his hometown of Cuanmore, but when his estranged father passes away, he finds himself drawn back to the family pub he left behind. Little does he know, O'Sullivan's Pub holds a secret that will change his life forever: a hidden portal to a magical pub that serves as a sanctuary for patrons from across the multiverse.

As James navigates his new role as the caretaker of The Pint & Portal, he must confront his past, forge unexpected friendships, and unravel the mysteries surrounding the pub's enchanted history. With the help of Emma, a former witch hunter seeking redemption, and a colorful cast of regulars from various worlds, James discovers that the true magic of The Pint & Portal lies not in its mystical brews or otherworldly visitors, but in the bonds of community and the power of empathy.

But when outside forces threaten to expose the pub's secrets and tear apart the fragile harmony James has built, he must rally his newfound family to protect their haven and prove that love and understanding can conquer even the deepest divisions.

The Greatest Pub in the Multiverse is a heartfelt and uplifting cozy fantasy that celebrates the beauty of found family, the strength of compassion, and the extraordinary magic that can be found in the most ordinary of places. Perfect for fans of Travis Baldree, TJ Klune, and anyone who believes in the power of a warm hearth, a cold pint, and an open heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy, Collections, Fiction, Science Fiction, Cozy Fantasy

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Herman Steuernagel is a Barnes & Noble Bestselling author best known for his cozy fantasy novels, blending immersive worlds with character-driven storytelling.

Across multiple series, his work ranges from warm, low-stakes fantasy settings to science fiction that explores life among the stars and dystopian futures. His books have been featured by Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and have appeared on the Barnes & Noble Top 100 and reached #104 in the Amazon Kindle Store.

Herman lives in British Columbia, Canada, While he’s not working on a new book he can be found cycling, running and dreaming up new worlds.

You can keep up with Herman on his website:

https://www.hermansteuernagel.com

Reviews

[J.P. IX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook of this right after book one and finished it in 2 days. The sequel expands the multiverse so beautifully and gets at the heart of some cozy fantasies, which is that anchor place to call home. What better place for a multidimensional traveller able to manipulate beverages than a bar nestled between universes?

And this book introduces another main POV, James, which was a nice added touch to see how he gets pulled into this story and how the pub comes back to life.

Great humor and characters!

And, of course, the recipes had me vying to try them.

[Robbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rounding up from 2.5 stars. This is a good story but I didn't enjoy the telling of it. I found James to be annoying and kind of stupid; I would have put this down if it weren't obvious that later chapters would be from the perspective of someone else. Like the last book, there's a lot of repetition in this and nearly every chapter we get several paragraphs repeating James' doubt and misgivings about the pub. It was way too much telling and not enough showing, really. And I personally don't enjoy reading from the perspective of someone who can't appreciate anything that's going on as it always seems to dull the adventure of it all.

The chapters from Emma's perspective were better, but a whole lot of her character development between the first book and this one happened off page and her character arc in this one isn't really that believable. And we got a lot of repeats of paragraphs of her feeling awful about having been a witch hunter, again telling us instead of showing us. All of the other characters were just creatures of the plot, even those who played a larger role. There were some interesting people in the background, but we don't get much of them and they imply color more than bringing it.

The story really is good, though, and I wish that I'd enjoyed the writing more or that it had a better protagonist than James to tell it through. Even though I didn't really enjoy reading this, I still found myself tempted to read more just because the setup is so good for interesting stories (though I don't think that I will).

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable cozy story about finding your purpose and found family. The sweetest HEA had me teary in the best way.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this cosy fantasy is special. There has been such a lovely atmosphere created in these pages that I was fully immersed in.
The reason for the lower rating is the repetition!! I lost track of how many times James mentioned leaving Cuanmore behind and then his position of whether he was staying or going.
Emma's mentions of her terrible past and the calloused hands there were now smooth got old.
And Moira, I just could not support. I thought she was an awful character who at one minute wanted to help and then wanted to shut it all down throughout the entire book.

The concept and the world were fabulous! The writing wasn't for me.

[Ursula Fricke · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a mess. I should have dnf'ed this book, but somehow held out hope it would get its act together. But all that waffling about decisions, the emotional inconsistencies, the surprise about established facts and especially the inner monologues that broke up the story were just too much to actually like it. I started skimming whole paragraphs. Didn't help that the author apparently has problems remembering what he wrote in book 1. Since I'm not interested in Rudy and Tarvo (apart from the reunion that was tearful and not much else I never found them believable as a couple having been separated and found each other again) I won't continue with book 3.

[Myriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was disappointed that it didn’t seem to be a continuation of the previous book. However after a few more chapters, we do get Emma back. We get a new non-world and stay there, it’s interesting and we see lots of new species. We get more connections as they don’t move around. However we don’t get the other two characters from the previous book, and it doesn’t seem to continue from the end of the last book, rather we continue from a future point in time. It was overall good, I would’ve like to have more in the style of the previous book, however I did enjoy the simple coziness from this one. I’m glad Emma got a more permanent place compared to the jumping around of the previous one.

[Evan Parrott · Rating 5 out of 5]

what an incredibly heartwarming tale of found friends and finding a home worth staying for. there's enough rising tension to keep the reader engaged, but the real highlight is the cozy bartending and the slice of life inherent in learning to run a pub.
this is cozy fantasy at its finest and I absolutely loved it!
wholesome, heartwarming and inspiring. everything that one can ask for in a cozy fantasy.

[Favour Creative · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A cozy, heartwarming fantasy that feels like a warm hug in book form. The Pint & Portal is such a magical setting, and I loved the blend of found family, second chances, and quiet magic. Perfect for fans of Travis Baldree or TJ Klune this is a story that lingers long after the last page."

[Tea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't say "greatest". Honestly in the dozen or so multiverse pub stories I've read in the last couple of years, this doesn't even hit the Top 10. The storytelling is messy and the throwaway romantic plot should have been thrown away. The premise had potential, but the end result needs work.

[Deirdre Puff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have come to the conclusion that cozy fantasy isn't all the way my jam. this took me way longer than I thought it would - and I did enjoy it but it didn't draw me in. I enjoyed the recipes and the story - I just felt a bit bored (but once again, i realized cozy fantasy isn't my jam)

[Jodell Larimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters

[Boho Beannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice follow up to the first book. Cozy fantasy, so problems easily resolved. Found family and acceptance of others who are different.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun story. 👏👏👏 Encore! Encore!

[Chris Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this tale and I'm looking forward to more.
Brews, courage, and choices with a dash of romance.

[Edwin Downward · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully cozy fantasy in which a thought provoking series of dramas all happen within the confines of, of all things, a pub.

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

right book, right time

I'm so glad this book happened into my hands. I absolutely loved it!

[Maira Hamel-Bussières · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5