From the publisher:
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. . . .
October is chock full of Christmas stories and I love them. This one is British, too, set in a small, quaint village where all the characters know one another. But for a single woman, there just aren’t a parade of single men passing through so it’s hard to meet someone. A dating app comes up with the idea of “12 Dates of Christmas” and pricy though it is, Kate signs up. At least the fee includes all the activities, and there are some really fun ones.
The book is divided into chapters by date, but there is more to the story than just that. Bayliss does a really good job bringing her characters to life, and I felt like I could have lived there by the end. Except for the snow, of course! Me and snowy winter do not get along.
Kate is a fabric designer, which I found fascinating. She also bakes for the local cafe, which is owned by her childhood friend, Matt. We know that there was a falling out at some point, but that storyline is secondary – until it isn’t. Meanwhile, Matt and Kate love giving each other a hard time, and the dating app is great fodder for Matt to tease Kate about.
Kate’s first date is a no show, so not off to a great start! The people running this promotion make all the dates so it’s not like you can just swipe on who you want. Then there is the “crying vegan,” a couple of men still in love with their exes, a highly wound, super competitive architect, and well, you get the idea. There are a couple of men who seem promising and Kate remains hopeful, but there are more dates ahead…
This is a super fun romance, and I think it would make a great rom-com (hello, Netflix!) The town is charming, Christmas is almost another character, and I highly recommend!
10/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™
THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS by Jenny Bayliss. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (October 13, 2020). ISBN 978-0593085387. 368 pages.
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