A cute but predictable holiday romance. It got a little boring at times but overall it was enjoyable.

Cute, holiday themed British silly rom-com with no surprises. From page one you know exactly what's going to happen and how it will end. And you won't care. Fun to read, light in every way. Made me glad I don't have to navigate the dating world, but I seriously wanted a brownie the whole time. Also would have smashed the gingerbread house into that dude's face.

I requested this Christmas book in November, but I didn’t get a copy from my library until January - the struggle of #borrowingbooks! This means I saw lots of reviews of this during the holidays, and I had super high expectations. My expectations were not met. I didn’t love it. The concept was cute - Kate signs up with a dating service to go in 12 blind dates throughout the Christmas season. I thought it was a little long, and I found Kate to be frustrating at times. Again, I didn’t hate it, but there are other cute holiday romances I’d recommend over this!

3.5 stars. This was a cute read for the holidays. Kate signs up for the '12 dates of Christmas' which is basically a bunch of blind dates (such a cool idea). Some are great and others are complete disasters. The dates were my favorite part of the book. It was pretty predictable read but most romantic books are. I still enjoyed it and it was the perfect light hearted read for this time of year. If you like those romantic comedies then check this one out.

This book just screamed Hallmark movie in all the best ways! The quaint town of Blexford was the perfect holiday setting because it was just so charming and I adored the whole “small town where everybody knows everybody else’s business” vibe. Plus, I always enjoy a good British rom com to transport me away and this one was wonderful! Reading about Kate’s twelve dates was super fun and there were moments that had me laughing out loud as she continued to meet one man after the next and had several hilarious and crazy experiences! Not to mention this story had me drooling over all the baked goods references! While the book was predictable and the ending seemed a little too perfect, I very much enjoyed this one and found it to be such a cozy and blissful holiday read, paired perfectly with some tea and cookies!

Fun book that was a fast read during the holidays. Offered an enjoyable escape during the hectic holiday season. I enjoyed the premise and the characters. Also gave me ideas for holiday outings.

This book was just too predictable for me. Obviously you're unlikely to be coming to a Christmas-y RomCom for a super novel and unexpected plot, but this one had me guessing every single story beat from the very first page which made it very hard for me to get invested.

Thank you Jenny, Nishtha from @putnambooks, and @netgalley for this #arc of such a fun holiday read {#partner}

Even though Christmas is still a little ways away, this was exactly the kind of book I needed to read right now! 😍 My #unitedbyromcoms girls and I did a #buddyread of 12 Dates this month, and it was so fun ❤️

The story follows Kate, who participates un a 12 Dates of Christmas event from a dating service. We see Kate meet and date some real duds 😂 At the same time, the story chronicles how Kate’s relationship changes with her friend Matt, who reminded me so much of Luke from Gilmore Girls because he owns a coffee shop! ☕️

Although the 12 chapters (one for each date) were long and the ending was pretty predictable, this story was packed with all the Christmas cheer and joy that I experience each year, and all of the main characters were lovable in their own ways. It read just like a Hallmark movie! Definitely a great book to add to your holiday wish list! 🎄🎅🏻

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

it was a pretty decent book. very fun to read in the winter and i would highly consider reading it again next winter. hope the author writes more christmas books

This was a really good Christmas book and I loved reading it over my Christmas break. The English setting was great and I loved all the characters and wanted to keep hanging out with them when the book was over.

The holiday romantic comedy we all need! This was a hit for me — loved the romance and the writing. Very much recommended

The holidays are upon us! Woo-hoo! If you have been listening to the pod, you know that I have been deep in holiday reading since mid-October. I have read some fun holiday reads in that time, and one of my favorites is Jenny Bayliss's The Twelve Dates of Christmas. (Thanks to Putnam Books #partner for my ebook review copy! All opinions are my own.) I talked about this in this week's episode of Unabridged Podcast that focuses on Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze, but wherein we each share a holiday read that we have enjoyed. My pick was The Twelve Dates of Christmas.

Our protagonist is the delightful Kate Turner, a former Londoner who has relocated several years prior to the small, cozy town of Blexford, England, to be near her father who was left reeling after Kate's mom left him for their financial planner. Kate is a fabric designer (so cool!) and also bakes delicious baked goods for the local café, which also happens to be owned by her childhood friend, Matthew, turned nemesis, turned back to friend. Whew! Kate has signed up for a local dating event where she will go on a date with a different suitor for twelve dates. Hijinks ensue.

I love a book set in England, and the cozy town of Blexford sounds like a town I want to visit. Like, right now. It is so quaint and sweet. I love the town SO much. This book has a strong cast of supporting characters, and I just love the community represented in the town. It is also funny and heartwarming. It is a bit different than the standard fair holiday read. As a mother, Kate's best friend Laura is my favorite. She is the mother of a precocious toddler and a baby and I can just relate to her so much. Bayliss's book is just the right mix of romantic comedy, friendship, and family. It is everything I want in a holiday read.

Lastly, if you are hungry when you read this, beware! You know how I love a food book, and the descriptions of the delicious baked goods that Kate makes for the café--oh my goodness--I wanted to bake and eat all the things. (You have been warned!)

This book. The perfect holiday read. Complete with delicious foods, quirky dates (some of which I may just steal the ideas for future endeavors), holiday shopping, and lots and lots of decorating. Matt, Laura, and Kate might be one of my favorite trios, any combination, every which way, I loved them. Although, no one holds a candle to Drew. By far my favorite character, and every time he reappeared I loved every second. Also Kate’s job designing fabrics was AMAZING, it makes me want to pick up sketching and follow her lead. My only complaint would be the chapters were a tad long for my taste...but is this an actual complaint? Because really, reading is reading, so I’ll take it.

Thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

9⭐️

What I loved ❤️: The audiobook is amazing. I ended up buying it on Audible and it was soooo good! What an amazing narrator! Plus the British accent helps 100% ❤️ The author is a baker and so is the main character, Kate. All the things she bakes that are mentioned in the book are drool worthy 🤤 The book even has some recipes in the back! ❤️ The happy ending. Is the ending predictable? Yes, it is. But isn’t that the case with most romcoms? And that’s ok! It’s the journey there that matters. ❤️ The whole concept of 12 dates completely planned for you is brilliant! ❤️ Also, I really liked that the MC was in her mid-thirties and acted like it 😆

What I liked 👍🏼: It was really well written. 👍🏼 The side characters were great! Really well-developed. I especially loved her Dad, he was so sweet! 👍🏼 Her mom got the ending she deserved, it was pretty hilarious to picture. 👍🏼 Her best friend, Laura. Such a cool friend, even though she had kids and a hubby at home, she always made time for Kate. 👍🏼 The town sounds warm and whimsical, full of snow, amazing people and a completely decorated park.

What I didn’t like 👎🏼: Each chapter is a date and everything that’s happening between the dates. Which means that chapters were really really long. If you are reading the book, you’ll feel this. If you are listening to the book, it won’t matter.

Gems 💎: “A bigger pool doesn’t necessarily mean a better swim”.

A charming English holiday read. Kate is a fabric designer (only in romantic comedies, right? but it sounds like an extremely cool job) who lives in the adorable cottage in the chocolate-box village where she grew up. She is remarkably down-to-earth for such a twee existence, including hanging out with her childhood best friends, baking desserts for her friend Matt's coffee shop, and looking after her divorced dad. When one such friend convinces her to sign up for a month-long dating service--the "Twelve Dates of Christmas"--she reluctantly agrees. But the dates go from hilariously bad to worse, even as Kate holds out hope that the right man might be out there.

This funny and heartwarming story will appeal to readers who loved the Bridget Jones books and anything charmingly English. I will be adding more Jenny Bayliss titles to my TBR for this year.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

What a fun, light-hearted, heart-warming holiday rom-com! I loved the concept, and the humorous voice kept me turning pages. A perfect holiday read!

12 Dates of Christmas was the perfect pandemic book as we get to see in real life dating. This was a fun romance. I loved chatting with Jenny about this book.

I thought The Twelve Dates of Christmas was so cute and perfect for the feel-good read I was looking for this time of year. Protagonist Kate Turner is feisty, independent, and loves to bake. The only problem is that she is unlucky in love and wants a partner in life.

This was just the Christmasy read I was hoping for to kick off the holidays. The food descriptions, (yummm truffles) the English setting, and the heartfelt story of Kate’s relationship with her Father made this book, and the terribly awful dates were the icing on the cake.

*many thanks to Putnam and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own

I'm fairly new to the romance genre but I felt that after a crazy 2020, The Twelve Dates of Christmas was a nice comforting way to end the year and enjoy the holiday season. I can't say there was anything truly groundbreaking here but I really liked the characters and the predictability was welcomed in a time where everything is so unknown in the world. I loved returning to the cozy British village with lots of sweets and cocoa, and also enjoyed the entertaining cast of characters that Kate meets along the way. Even being new to the genre, I feel like the inclusion of divorce and people 35+ dating in a positive way is not super prevalent in general, but I think the way Bayliss includes it here definitely works. I don't personally fall into either of those categories but I found it nice to read about something other than the "hot 20-something" and I felt that it grounded the story in a good way.

Overall I had fun with this book and I'm looking forward to other books put out by Jenny Bayliss in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall it was a cute read! The chapters were way too long and I found myself losing interest, but I powered through and finished it!