I loved this story. It has substance but is also funny and Christmassy and I couldn’t have adored the ending more 🙌🏽

This just wasn’t for me. I powered through thinking that it’d turn into the book I hoped it would be based on the synopsis but I just could not vibe with it. The MC is a bit of a Mary Sue which meant I just really couldn’t connect with her. It was very predictable from the outset - I knew exactly who she was going to end up with and it made no sense to me as they had no chemistry whatsoever. I think I preferred the friendships in this over the romantic relationships but even those felt a little weak. The writing was let down by such an excess of information, I skimmed a lot of the text because I just could not bring myself to be interested in all the history and background information. I wanted to love this but unfortunately, it was not something that I was destined to enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy, and to Book Break, Pan Macmillan and Jenny Bayliss for providing me with a physical copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own

Many thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for my copy. This was a lovely feel good romance with a festive theme that makes it ideal for reading in the run up to Christmas. I enjoyed it.

This is a great example of a lighthearted, cheesy, romantic (and a little raunchy at times) Christmas book - imagine a Hallmark Christmas film, but in a book!

I loved the Twelve Dates aspect and it should have been so romantic, but poor Kate ends up with the worst choice of blind dates! Luckily it all works out in the end and in true Christmas Romance fashion, they all live happily ever after.

Also a little jealous at the amount of Snow they have in Blexford! It wouldn’t be a Christmas Story without Snow!!

Wow, what a wonderful way to set me up for Christmas! I find it a little predictable but I really enjoyed the laugh out loud moments, which is just what the country needs right now - a good laugh.

Just what you need to get you in the mood for Christmas, a lovely romance with ups and downs. I really enjoyed this book and finished it in a couple of days, helped me through my Covid Isolation. So pleased Kate found what she was looking for x

I don’t usually read Christmas books but this year I really felt I had to get into the Christmas spirit when I saw this gorgeous cover so I had to give it a read!

I loved it, was it predictable? Yes, but it was just so cosy and festive and it was just what I needed to read at the start of December!
It had me laughing out loud and I really loved reading all the various dates Kate went on.

Plus its true that the only village in England that has snow for the whole of December has to be a made up one!

The only negative I had was how long the chapters were! Saying that it was a very cute read and gave me all the festive vibes I needed this week!

Predictable but enjoyable book. Recognise all of those dates..... but a happy ending! Nice easy read.

I absolutely loved this book, it was a great concept and it lived up to my expectations, I really engaged with the characters and although I did see where it was going and had guessed the ending it did not take away any of the enjoyment of getting there, I would recommend this book, it is the first I have read by this author, I am hoping there is a back catalogue for me to get into.

Curl up with a hot chocolate and enjoy!

This has got to be one of my favourite Christmas books that I have read in a long to. Witty, funny, laugh out loud, yet poignant and full of Christmas cheer. It kept me entertained many nights whilst unable to sleep. Who wouldn't to live in Blexleywith friends like Kate, Laura and Matt 😁

Thank you, NetGalley and Pan McMillian for my eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This book got me in a Christmassy mood early than anticipated by my family as I am usually such a Scrooge. I loved following Kate on her dates and the area in which these dates are set makes it sound so magical.

I like that with each date that Kate goes on she seems to learn a bit more about herself. The characters were relatable and the banter between her, Matt and Laura are similar to conversations I have had with my close friends before.

This is definitely a great book to get you in the Christmas spirit and I am looking forward to reading more from Jenny Bayliss in the future.

A lovely Christmas story that was MADE for the holidays, the descriptions are positively delicious so make sure you have a bag of treats handy while you read!!

This book is everything I look for in a Christmas read. It is an original romcom concept with a wonderful holiday season spin and has the perfect blend of a tight-knit village, festive scenes, drama, fun and romance. I love the way Bayliss has the ability to create such picturesque settings, being full of beautiful details and descriptions which really set the winter vibe as well as creating loveable characters who are SO funny. In all sincerity I was totally invested in Kate and every other character and would love to see more from this quaint little setting.

what a perfect book to get you in the festive mood!

following along with all Kates dates was great fun!

Kate Turner is happily single when her married friend encourages her to start dating and it just so happens that there is a new dating app - The Twelve Dates of Christmas where you try out twelve different dates over the festive period and Kate decides to give it a try. What has she got to lose other than her heart..
A feel good book to read at Christmas with twinkling lights and a glass of hot chocolate or wine.

Poor Kate, she definitely had a mix of good and bad dates and it was exciting to share those experiences with her.
The village sounds delightful. I’d love to visit at Christmas! Definitely gets you in the Christmas spirit

Well we all know where this one was going, but what a truly lovely way to get there. Filled with the frosty bite of a winter in the country and the decadence of gorging on sweet treats as the nights draw in and Christmas approaches, I found the foodie bits vivid in my own imagination. As a nature lover I was pleased that it found it’s way into the narrative in so many ways and the scents of the woodland remained with me.

I found the dates fun and engaging with some menfolk proving their worth. The perils of online dating still on display despite the safe zone implied by the service which serves as a timely warning that all that glitters is not gold and I enjoyed all the characters who interacted in Kate’s orbit . A bit of festive fun with enough romance to keep this chicken hearted soul well satisfied.

A lovely, light hearted festive book. It was predictable but I find that doesn't matter with this kind of book.
The story is centred around Kate and her friends.. Kate signs up to a dating agency to take part in the 12 dates of Christmas and naturally it doesn't go very well!
An easy and enjoyable read.

I loved this Christmas book!
Kate, Laura and Matt have all been friends for years. They have been through lots together and their lives have brought them back to the village they live in.
Laura, married with two children persuades Kate to sign up for the 12 dates of Christmas - 12 dates with 12 different men.
I loved all the tales of each date and enjoyed the way Kate's story turned out!

On the whole, this was a nice enough book. Kate has returned to the small village where she grew up and where her best friends and dad still live.
One of Kate's best friends, Laura, convinces her to sign up with a dating agency for The Twelve Dates of Christmas. There are 23 days until Christmas and Kate gets to go on 12 dates with 12 different men. Surely one of the men will tick all of Kate's boxes?

Personally, I found this to be a very predictable story. I don't think I was much more than a quarter of the way through before I figured it all out.

I think this will be a massively popular book for Christmas 2020 and there is no reason for it not to be - I found it very well written, with lots of light -hearted moments, full of well rounded characters who I would love to know.