This was a fun British romcom perfect for the holidays. Kate Turner is single, living alone in her childhood home. She moved back home to be close to her dad after her parents split up. Her best friend, Laura, persuades her to sign up for the Twelve Dates of Christmas. Through an app, participants choose a fun event and they are matched up with a date. The idea of these pre-paid activities sounds great!! I’m married, but I’d love to pay someone to plan fun activities and fancy dinners for me. Some of the dates are horrendous, others are quite nice. I enjoyed reading about all the snow because it’s currently warm and sunny where I live.
The cast of characters are really fun. Laura is a mom (“mum”) and is enjoying hearing all about Kate’s adventures. Matt is her grumpy friend who gives her a hard time about her embarrassing moments but is also concerned about Kate going on all these dates. And maybe a bit jealous? The guys she goes on dates with are all unique and some are better company than others. The ending was somewhat predictable, but that’s usually the nature of romcoms. It’s still enjoyable to go on the journey with the main character as she figures out what she really wants and truly listens to her heart.

Thank You to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a cute Christmas read that is heartwarming, fun and a second chance romance. I really loved reading about this small town and all the town folk in it. I do wish the romance was a little more fleshed out and had more uphmm but again it was a cute Christmas read.

I enjoyed this Christmas love story, but my favorite parts were actually the scenes between the main character and both her best friend and her father. Also, the setting was lovely. I wish I could visit this little English village at Christmastime!

This book makes my heart smile. I loved Kate and love her and Matt! Hope there will be a follow up!!

I love a good, cheesy Christmas movie of the Hallmark variety, but I’ve found that I don’t enjoy that kind of saccharine sweetness in my books. Luckily, The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss was the perfect mix of drama, hilarity, and just a hint of that classic Christmas romance.

Kate Turner is an unlucky-in-love textile designer, living in the tiny town of Blexford, England, where she also bakes for her old friend Matt’s cafe on the side. When her best friend Laura insists she sign up for a local dating service’s Twelve Dates of Christmas, Kate decides to give it a shot. Twelve dates with twelve different men in the weeks leading up to Christmas… How bad could it be? With the whole sleepy town invested in her love life, one date after another ends up with less than promising results. Maybe the one she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her the whole time.

While I went into this book with high hopes, I’ve already read a few holiday books this season that were just too over the top for me, so I was also kind of prepared not to love it. That was not the case at all! This book was laugh out loud funny, with characters you can relate to and believable situations. Jenny Bayliss did an incredible job of creating the atmosphere of Blexford, a little town on the outskirts of London where everyone knows everyone and all their business. The supporting characters really shined, with my favorites being Kate’s dad Mac and shop owner Evelyn. Like most romance novels, it was clear early on who Kate would end up with, but the road to the happy ending was totally surprising and unpredictable. This was a fantastic five star read, and I hope I can look forward to more holiday novels from Jenny Bayliss in future years!

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Group, and Jenny Bayliss for the ARC copy to review!

If you're looking for visions of sugar plums this holiday, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is your best gift to yourself. Kate moved back to her small English hometown several years ago following her father's mental breakdown. She settled back into her family home, made it her own, and made her own place after years of being away at college, traveling, and working as an artist in London. When she moved back, she carefully rekindled her childhood friendship with Matt, which had ended in a dramatic falling-out after a one-night stand in their early twenties. Now in her thirties and still single, with Matt and the whole town cheering (and teasing) her on, Kate has embarked on twelve holiday dates program through a dating website. Kate's dates are hilarious nightmares, including men who are still in love with their exes, men only interested in the twelve "shags" of Christmas, and an accidental set-up with a gay man. Throughout, we see the holiday world through Kate's artistic eye. The lovely relationships between the people of the town--which would seem cheerfully lame in a non-seasonal romance--hit it just right, and leave readers feeling the Christmas spirit we associate with bygone days. Her expanding relationship with Matt, though predictable, suits the tone perfectly.

Part Virgin River, part Bridget Jones, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is a lavish, sappy, wonderful treat for this holiday season.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas is an adorable small-town Christmas romance. Kate Turner has not had the best of luck with boyfriends and is perfectly happy with her life the way it is. She has a career that she loves and two amazing friends, but when her friend Laura signs her up for a dating extravaganza that includes 12 Christmas/winter themed dates with 12 different men, Kate tries to embrace the possibility of love.

Seriously, this book is the epitome of adorable. Kate is adorable, the small-town of Blexford is adorable, and the romance is adorable! It had all the warm and charming Christmas vibes that I expect from a Christmas book. The only thing that didn’t quite work for me was the romance. It was a slow burn...I mean a SO SLOW burn. I love how the book ended, but I just wanted so much more.

Definitely give this one a try!

3.5/5 stars!

Thank you so much to Putnam Books and Netgalley for my gifted copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Description from the publisher:'Tis the season for finding romance in this hilarious and uplifting holiday read

When it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say "Bah, humbug." The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn't exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate's found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt's neighborhood café. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor . . . right?

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I found this lighthearted holiday read delightful and funny! Perfect for kicking back under a knitted throw with a mug of hot cocoa and getting lost for a while.

Ok you guys I really really enjoyed this one! This book made me want to drop everything and move to England😂 the Christmas feel, the 12 dates and the ending I was hoping for. I would totally recommend checking this one out if your having a hard time choosing what to read or if you just want a Christmas time rom-com. Thank you so so much to @netgalley @putnambooks for #gifting me an ARC of this cozy wintery read. 4⭐️

Kate is a very successful fabric designer who up and left London to help put the pieces of her father back together after a tough divorce. But at 34 and very single this isn’t how she pictured her life. She wants romance and for someone to look at her the way Noah looks at Allie (like my notebook reference there haha) but living in a small village her options are limited. Her best friend convinces her to sign up for The 12 Dates of Christmas in hopes she’ll find Prince Charming. Little does she know love may be closer than she thinks.

A few disastrous dates, one that developed a friendship and another that seemed promising, Kate realizes she’s actually quite enjoying this. Will Kate ever find love? Will her father ever be happy again? And will she continue this lonely cycle in life? Super cozy read. All the details of the village, the dates and Christmas really made me dive head first into this book. I would have loved just a bit more after the ending,if you read this one you know what I mean.

This was rather cheesy and totally predictable but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was a welcome break from my normally dark psychological thrillers. And it is set in my home country (UK) which gave it extra bonus points. The story is about a woman in her thirties who decides after a lot of persuasion from her BFF to participate in a dating sites event leading up to the Christmas: the 12 dates of Christmas. She gets to meet different men on all these dates and has to decide if she likes them or not....Happy Ending, but I won't say anymore.

Cute but overall it felt way too long - the 12 dates got a little tedious. I think in this case, I am just not the right reader for British rom-coms. Very Christmas-y and definitely got me in the holiday spirit!

A drop of water leaked from my eye. “Get it together, Adi,” I muttered, wiping away the tear. Love sure was wet, and not in the good way. I raised my head to the gray sky as another “tear” plopped on my cheek. I wasn’t crying after all. It was raining. Naturally, I was fresh out of the good fortune having an umbrella would have required. Drizzle quickly morphed into showers.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas was a cute holiday romance. It reminded me a lot of a Hallmark movie. It was light and fun. While there was a little bit of drama, you knew it was going to end up okay.
I really enjoyed the idea that Kate, the main character, signed up for twelve dates. It was fun seeing her go on these dates and get out of her comfort zone. I really enjoyed Kate and seeing her grow through this story.
My one complaint about this book was Matt. I would have liked a little more from him. Like I just didn’t get him. He was a fine guy, but I didn’t see any romantic chemistry between him and Kate. I totally got them as friends, but I would have liked a little bit more exploration of their romantic relationship.
This was told in the third person, which made sense from the story, but I would have liked to get more into the character's heads, especially Matt. Overall this was a cute rom-com that I really enjoyed, but the romance fell a little flat for me.

This is the book equivalent of snuggling up with a mug of hot cocoa. Perfect for Hallmark movie lovers.

An easily forgettable but enjoyable holiday read about a woman who goes on 12 dates to find the man of her dreams, forgetting about her best friend who has (of course) been pining for her all along. I definitely enjoyed the recipe descriptions and the horrifying awkwardness of the terrible dates, but the plot was *yawn* and the characters were very cookie-cutter. (Christmas cookie-cutter? Sure, why not.) Recommended for those who need a holiday palate cleanser.

This book was absolutely charming! I loved the way the author painted the picture of a cozy English village at Christmastime — I would give anything to visit there myself! I also thought the main character was extremely endearing. The way Jenny Bayliss described her baking and crafting and art... she's all the woman I want to be. I also thought the romantic premise was super sweet and I always loved a BFF-turned-bae story. And the world was populated with so many fantastic secondary characters!

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to interview the author on my podcast recently! I will definitely recommend the book to my followers and will be running a giveaway on Instagram, as well.

If you love cute cozy holiday reads set in England then you MUST read The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss. This book will definitely get you in a festive holiday mood. Kate returns to her small home town in order to take care of her father. Kate's friend Laura signs her up for "12 Dates of Christmas" and then we unravel some hilarious and also some creepy date scenarios. This story reads like a Christmas Hallmark movie and you will fall in love with all the characters. The beginning is slightly slow but once you get further into the story you won't want to put it down. Definitely add this one to your holiday book TBR pile. I'm looking forward to reading more by Jenny Bayliss in the future! Many thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun holiday read, like able characters, a predictable ending, and a fun premise of 12 dates. Looking forward to more from this author.

This was super cute!

A huge thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

I am really feeling the holiday romances this year and The 12 Dates of Christmas was a great escape from my current reality lol.

What I Enjoyed-

The Setting- This book is set in the UK. The little town of Blexford was adorable. I love small town settings and can totally relate to the pro's and con's of living a small town life.

The Characters- All the characters were likeable.

The Dates- I enjoyed all of the dates and thought they were unique and fun.

The Writing- This was a fast read. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Why It Lost a Star-

It was a tad predictable. I knew exactly who Kate would end up with.

Overall- very enjoyable and I definitely recommend.

What a joyful Christmas book! I had very few expectations, but thought the premise of the 12 dates added humor and fun to a sweet love story. Matt and Kate's friendship was already great, but when you add in the hijinks of bad dates, small town friendships and personal history, 12 dates was exactly what I wanted.