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.

With a push from her friend, Kate signs up for a local dating service. She will be set up on twelve dates leading up to Christmas, this is a whirlwind of fun individual and group dates Will she find the one??

So the premise of this story is so cute. I was immediately charmed by Kate and was excited to see where these 12 dates go. The dates were cute and fun, the guys were interesting (some not so much), and there was lots of Christmas in this book. Unfortunately, I had the ending pegged from the first chapter, so it was very predictable. 

If you are looking for a quirky, predictable Christmas rom com, this is for you.

This was a sweet story about a woman who - after some major family drama - moves back to her hometown, a quaint village outside of London. She settles back into the life she left but is still single at Christmas while her two best friends are paired off. She signs up for the '12 Dates of Christmas' and starts a journey for love that might be closer than she thinks. It's a bit predictable and a bit dragged out but overall it was a sweet, nice Christmas escape.

This is just the cute christmas book we all need in our lives - especially in the midst of a global pandemic.

Just in time for the holidays comes this absolutely adorable rom com set during the month leading up to Christmas. Kate isn't exactly dying to find love, but at her friend's relentless insistence, she agrees to sign up for a dating service that pairs you up for 12 dates. Each group date involves some romantic or fun activity, so at worst she'll at least get some good meals and a bit of excitement, right?

Her friend Matt and the rest of the small town they live in become completely invested in her dates, but as they turn out to be disaster after disaster she's wondering what she got herself into. At least until Richard comes along...

I adored the friendship between Matt and Kate and how they finally managed to talk through their issues to become stronger. The whole premise of this dating extravaganza was enticing as well! It made me want to try something similar myself! This novel was exactly what I hoped for and I'm excited to share it with my friends this season!

Thank you for this book. I spotlighted the book on my Bookstagram and plan to read and post amazon/goodreads review in November.

I wanted to love this book so much. The story was cute and I loved the holiday vibes but the length of the chapters was just too much for me. I do not have the attention span for a 40+ minutes chapter. But... i think this would make a great movie!

Kate Turner is enjoying her single life after returning to her small hometown of Blexford and reconnecting with her best friends Laura and Matt. Her career as a fabric designer keeps her busy and fulfilled and life in Blexford is anything but dull. When Laura decides to surprise Kate by signing her up for the 12 dates of Christmas, things take and interesting and comical turn. Twelve dates with twelve men in twelve different locations. What's not to love right? Each date is its own unique experience However with each new date, and with the holidays drawing ever closer, Kate learns more and more about herself and what it is she might actually want in a soulmate. Will she find her true love in time for the holidays?
The Twelve Dates of Christmas was a highly comical and whimsical tale of Kate's quest to find true love in her small hometown that is perfect for the upcoming holidays. From the Christmas decorations, to the charming setting of the small town of Blexford, to the gingerbread lattes and mince pies, readers will fall in love with Blexford and be ready to pack their bags to spend the holidays abroad. The village is fill of fun loving, caring people, who have known Kate her whole life and truly embody the spirit of Christmas with their giving and caring nature. Kate is a wonderful main character full of determination and love and her friends and family that support her each step of the way give the story a warm, caring feel. Each date that Kate went on was it's own unique, comical experience, some more smooth than others. I highly recommend this debut novel for those looking for a highly entertaining and enjoyable story to get you in the festive spirit.

Kate Turner is back in her small hometown in England and there is an extreme lack of eligible men coming into her life, so she signs up for the perfect rotation of dates, twelve of them leading up to Christmas.

As in every romance book, the journey is really the reason for the book. The reader knows where the book will probably end up, happily ever after is a good reason to read romance! I liked Kate and Matt's story, even though I have read my fair share of romance and especially ones with holiday themes, this one felt unique and I wouldn't mind seeing it be turned into a Hallmark or Lifetime movie for next holiday season.

My favorite thing about this book was all the ups and downs of the dates. I couldn't wait to read the activity and the character that Kate would meet next and see where each one went. I want to sign up a single friend for this and see how twelve dates during the holiday season go!

I hope to read more from this author both in and out of the holiday season!

3.5 stars - Good+
This was fun. I knew right from the start where this was going to land in the end, but I enjoyed the journey along the way. Kate's various dates were fun - both the activities and most of the guys. I liked her as a character (her job sounded amazing!). It's a solid, enjoyable story of a woman looking for and finding love. (Language, off-page sex, LGBTQ+)

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Typical chick lit, rom-com story: you know from the beginning that she is going to end up with the best friend - that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable, though! A very charming holiday tale.

If you love : ⁣⁣
💙 sweet holiday romances ⁣⁣
💙 not very steamy books ⁣⁣
💙 UK holiday setting ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Then you’ll love Jenny Bayliss’ new holiday romance ⁣⁣
The 12 Dates of Christmas ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Blurb : ‘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? ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before–and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures–Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it’s least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it’s been right under her nose all along. . . .⁣⁣

My only critique is that there was a little steam, I think it would have amped up the romance!
⁣⁣
Thank you @putnambooks for sending us all arcs! This was the perfect book to get us in the mood for Christmas time!⁣⁣
⁣⁣ ⁣

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Kate has moved back to her home town and is looking for her happy-ever-after. To that end, she's signed up with an online dating service for an event called "The Twelve Dates of Christmas." In the days leading up to December 25th, she'll be paired up with twelve different dates for twelve different holiday type activities in the hopes of finding Mr. Right. Of course, this is a rom-com, so you can bet some of those dates will go horribly wrong, with hilarious consequences.

This book was so sweet! It's the perfect holiday rom-com read, like all the best parts of a Hallmark movie, without all the extremely twee bits that make your teeth ache and your eyes roll. This would be a perfect early holiday read or gift, especially if you like your romances on the less steamy side.

12 dates before Christmas.

What could go wrong in this Christmas themed rom-com.
Kate, at 34 and a designer in England is prompted to do the Twelve Dates of Christmas.
Its fun and well, I guess its much better to read about someone else's bad dates for a chance.

I enjoyed Matt, her BF.
Recommend.
4.5

This was a super cute friends-to-lovers romance with the perfect UK holiday setting. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, no one does Christmas like the UK! I could live in one of their Christmas markets ❤️ Each chapter of this book is one of Kate’s 12 dates so they were definitely a little too long for my liking and I wanted a little more of her relationship with Matt. But if you are a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, I think you’ll definitely be a fan of this!

This is a perfect holiday read! Kate Turner is a designer/baker who lives in Blexford, England and is single at age 34. She has never found Mr. Right and doesn't expect to either. Her best friend signs her up with a dating agency that promises to help find love before Christmas. She has 12 dates with 12 different men but each date is more disastrous than the one before AND the whole town is watching! As with many of us, the answer to her dilemma has always been right in front of her all the time.

A sweet story that put me in the holiday reading spirit. This is a super cute friends to lovers trope packed full of witty banter, mouth-watering food descriptions, and the mishaps of twelve dates gone wrong. A delightful and cheeky small town romance that brings the Christmas cheer. So adorable!

Blurb: Kate hasn’t had any luck dating in her small town of Blexford, England. In hopes of helping, Kate’s best friend signs her up with a dating agency that organizes twelve dates with twelve different guys. With each passing date, Kate’s hopes of finding the one are looking pretty grim. Thankfully Kate has
he best mates, including her quirky male friend Matt, to help her navigate the dating disasters.

The first half of the book is a little slow moving, but I was super invested by the second half. My favorite parts were Kate’s inspiration descriptions for her fabric and the cooking!

The dating mishaps and banter between Kate and the townsfolk made this a heartwarming and endearing read, the perfect book to cozy up with next to a fire and a of cup of cocoa!

The Twelve Dates of Christmas has a really great premise, packed with British dialogue and a small-town feel. I absolutely loved the idea of a town setting up twelve planned holiday-themed dates with different men, because that sounds like the perfect way to endure a lot of blind dates!

While this book had a lot of potential, and a lot of strong qualities, unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. I feel that the romance got lost between the backstory and all of those dates, and it took awhile to see (if you didn’t already assume) who was going to be the one to win Kate’s heart. I love being able to spot those little signs of interest or jealousy, and wish we could’ve seen those a bit earlier. That being said, you all know I’m a sucker for romance, so those who enjoy more women’s lit and fiction might enjoy this adorable holiday read! Plus, a date for every chapter - they definitely can’t all be perfect, and it was fun to see some of the date experiences Kate had.

Thank you so much to @putnambooks for this #gifted e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

What an adorable holiday read! Kate has signed up with a dating agency for twelve dates with twelve different men before Christmas at the urging of her best friend. Kate is content in her life between her career, family and friends. She’s agreed to this plan partly to appease her friend but partly to see what’s out there. However, she finds that one date after another turns into a disaster. This cringeworthy and often hilarious dating adventure was so fun to read. Kate is a likeable character who is kind, gracious, funny, and optimistic. I kept rooting for her but thoroughly enjoyed this story with all the bumps along the way. This is a perfect romance to warm up your holiday season.

3.5 stars!

The Twelve Dates of Christmas is such a warm, cozy, cute romance perfect for a snowy winter day! I wanted to curl up on my couch with a warm cup of milky tea, a big fluffy blanket, and my cat and read this all afternoon. This is definitely a slow burn romance -- and a quite clean one at that! While I guessed who Kate would end up with, it was such fun seeing her get there.

If you love small, English towns and Hallmark holiday movies, you'll love this.