I am so happy that I waited until Christmas week to read Jenny Bayliss's debut novel, The Twelve Dates of Christmas. This adorable, breezy rom-com is a must-add to your holiday reading list, as it will give you all of the cozy Christmas feels. I nestled down with this novel, whiling away the hours over the Christmas holiday, getting lost in Bayliss's enchanting tale of finding love amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Kate Turner is in her mid-thirties and has reached the point in her life where she is ready to give up on finding true love. If the love of her life were to miraculously show up one day and sweep her off her feet, she certainly wouldn't turn him away, but she is also comfortable living her life as a single independent woman. As a print designer for the luxury London department store Liberty and a baker for the Pear Tree Café, her friend Matt's quaint and cozy coffee shop in her charming hometown of Blexford, Kate feels pretty fulfilled in life. But that doesn't stop her from signing up for the "Twelve Dates of Christmas."
The Twelve Dates of a Christmas is a holiday event sponsored by a local dating agency. Participants are paired with twelve different potential love matches and sent on themed dates in the weeks leading up to Christmas in hopes of finding love for the holidays. Surely Kate will find her match in one of these twelve men ... right? As you may guess, everything isn't merry and bright as Kate ventures off on her twelve dates. While some men definitely bring her tidings of comfort and joy, some of these fellows just stink, stank, stunk! Are you ready to dash through the snow with Kate on her twelve dates of Christmas? Be there with bells on!
The Twelve Dates of a Christmas is a wonderfully captivating, quintessential modern holiday read. Set in the delightful village of Blexford, England, this book manages to mix old-world charm with modern day issues. The setting of this novel comes to life and leaps off the pages, making it really a character of its own. Blexford is the perfect place to host a holiday novel, and it definitely got me in the Christmas spirit. Furthermore, the plot encompasses all of the lovely aspects of village life, including a cozy café, caroling on snow-covered streets, a grand manor ruled over by a Lord and Lady, and a collective and shared history of the town's inhabitants. The Twelve Dates of Christmas will definitely leave you wanting to spend the holidays in the picturesque town of Blexford.
Then there are the twelves dates, themselves. Each chapter of this novel focuses on one of the twelve dates. I really liked this set-up because I knew that when a new chapter started, there would be a new guy introduced, which helped me keep better track of the dates and characters. All the horrors and idiosyncrasies of dating are present here in a hilarious and compelling narrative. I couldn't wait to go on Kate's next date just to see what awaited her next, while also hoping that she would find her life's love among one of these twelve men.
In all, The Twelve Dates of a Christmas is a novel that manages to be both fun and atmospheric, providing a perfect combination of nostalgia and enchantment, with a side of modern day dating woes. This novel will appeal in some way to anyone looking for a jaunty and spirited holiday read.
Availability: Book; eBook in cloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
ARE YOU AND THIS BOOK A GOOD MATCH? DISCOVER MORE WITH NOVELIST APPEALS! The Twelve Dates of Christmas
GENRE: Romantic Comedies
THEME: Friends to Lovers (Though their relationship begins platonically, the characters in these stories find themselves developing an attraction which deepens into love.)
WRITING STYLE: Engaging; Richly Detailed
TONE: Atmospheric; Funny; Heartwarming; Upbeat
LOCATION: England
SUBJECT: Baking; Blind Dates; Christmas; Dating; Friendship; Interpersonal Attraction; Matchmaking; Men/Women Relations; Recipes; Single Women; Thirties; Villages; Winter
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