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The Twelve Days of You: A Holiday Road Trip, Grumpy Sunshine Romance
BLAIR BALINSKY’s life is in shambles. With her business just weeks from shutting down and a blindsiding break-up mere days before Christmas, a humiliated Blair has no intention of facing her high-achieving family over the holidays… Until she gets the news she’s been waiting ages to Her long-time crush and town golden-boy, Mason, is headed home after years away. And he’s finally single.
Convinced it’ll set her life back on track, Blair decides to race home and win him over before anyone else gets the chance to. But this close to Christmas, her only choice is to catch a ride with West, Mason’s reclusive, brooding older brother.
WEST MCALLEN has spent years rebuilding his life far from home—and from Blair, after his old feelings for her led to a mistake that got him exiled from town as a teen. But when Blair suddenly appears and begs him for a drive home, he’s unable to deny her. And when their road trip turns into a festive, chaotic hitch-hike across the country, West realizes he might finally have a chance with Blair—and at redemption—while out from under Mason’s shadow.
All he has to do is win her heart before she reaches his brother.
The Twelve Days of You is a spicy, grumpy/sunshine, crush's older brother, estranged friends to lovers, Christmas road trip with a twist romance book.
Convinced it’ll set her life back on track, Blair decides to race home and win him over before anyone else gets the chance to. But this close to Christmas, her only choice is to catch a ride with West, Mason’s reclusive, brooding older brother.
WEST MCALLEN has spent years rebuilding his life far from home—and from Blair, after his old feelings for her led to a mistake that got him exiled from town as a teen. But when Blair suddenly appears and begs him for a drive home, he’s unable to deny her. And when their road trip turns into a festive, chaotic hitch-hike across the country, West realizes he might finally have a chance with Blair—and at redemption—while out from under Mason’s shadow.
All he has to do is win her heart before she reaches his brother.
The Twelve Days of You is a spicy, grumpy/sunshine, crush's older brother, estranged friends to lovers, Christmas road trip with a twist romance book.
346 pages, Paperback
Published November 2, 2026
About the author
Ellie K. Wilde
9 books1,065 followersEllie K. Wilde is a Canadian writer of contemporary romance and romantic comedies that make you laugh, swoon... and maybe require a cold shower or two to recover. She enjoys writing stories with dirty-mouthed cinnamon roll heroes and the fiery women who bring them to their knees.
When she's not daydreaming about her next book, you'll find her devouring other romance novels, bingeing reality TV and snuggling with fur babies.
Follow Ellie on Instagram and TikTok @EllieKWildeAuthor
When she's not daydreaming about her next book, you'll find her devouring other romance novels, bingeing reality TV and snuggling with fur babies.
Follow Ellie on Instagram and TikTok @EllieKWildeAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews
Review of advance copy
"It’s a wonder how drastically things can change in the span of twelve days. But I suppose that’s just the magic of the holidays."
It's the best Christmas romcom! 🎄❄️
Kindest, softest and the most delicious kind of love story
5 STARS. 5.FREAKING.STARS
because omg this story? this characters? this plots? this writing? I'm fallen in love😭
—✧ I was so so engrossed into this from chapter 1! i am just in awe of how this story unfolds across a road trip....just pure bliss. The words in this books are pure magic and so delightful and those diagolues giving me all the butterflies.
—✧ yes it's kinda slow paced but it's engaging and interesting too! It's feels like the most delicious romcom🤤I keep savouring each moment. It's like i didn't wanted it to finish.
—✧ i love the playfulness and creativeness of this story. The events that take place, the people they met during road trip ultimately unravels that forgotten emotions they did have as teenagers back then. It's so cute to watch it unravel along the way of the book.
—✧ They both are so soft toward each other with prefect amount of banter.
WEST IS THE MOST PERFECT BOOK BOYFRIEND OUT THERE! takes care of her when she's sick? check. has a crush on her since childhood? check. gives her a drive to their hometown? check. he draws and paints? check. drew her as a comic character in her memory? check. has that tattooed on him? 100 times check
*sigh* he's the best. He feels like someone who have lived thousand lives.
HOT SAD BOY WHO IS DOWN BAD FOR HIS GIRL!
the little version of him suffered a lot. I want to throw a power-pack punch to his family. They made the innocent kid suffer so much 😭😭
—✧ And don't even get me started on Blair. She understood West like no one else ever did! I absolutely loved the way she didn't back away from the feeling she started developing for West. She treated him just the way he deserves. She was the most kindest soul.
⇒5/5 stars without a doubt! I cannot wait to explore more books by this author!
One of the faves of 2026
*Thank you Love Notes PR for the ARC
✧---------------------------------------------------------✧
❄️🎄—*:･ﾟ✧pre-read✧･ﾟ:*—🎄❄️
TIME FOR CHRISTMAS READS!
this is my first ellie's book! i'm so excited
he's her crush's older brother and he bascially is obsessed with her from DAY1 and got exiled for from the town
*Thank you Love Notes PR for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨️ ARC REVIEW ✨️
The Twelve Days of You by Ellie K Wilde
Publication date: 5th November 2026
Thoughts
This was so good!! To my surprise it had so much heart in it than I anticipated for a holiday romance. I was hooked from the getgo! Blair and West were so cute together; turns out even in books you can feel the made for each other vibe🥹 I spend my life on this app saying new book boyfriend but listen West got exiled out of town back when they were kids FOR HER do I need to say more??🥹 I mean the fact that he's been in love with her since forever but she's had a crush on his brother; I'd love to see this as an adaptation 🫠 this was my first reading experience with the author but not the last. If you're looking for a holiday romance with adventure, heart and banter I highly recommend adding this to your TBR!
Read if you enjoy
▪︎ Estranged childhood friends
▪︎ Grumpy x sunshine
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ He wants her, she wants his older brother
▪︎ Road trip
▪︎ Banter
Plot Summary
With her business failing and a recent breakup, Blair is determined to win over her longtime crush, Mason, when he returns home for Christmas. Her journey takes an unexpected turn when she ends up travelling with his brooding older brother West. As their chaotic road trip brings them closer, Blair may discover that the man she’s been chasing isn’t the one her heart truly wants.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ALC
My Bookstagram
The Twelve Days of You by Ellie K Wilde
Publication date: 5th November 2026
Thoughts
This was so good!! To my surprise it had so much heart in it than I anticipated for a holiday romance. I was hooked from the getgo! Blair and West were so cute together; turns out even in books you can feel the made for each other vibe🥹 I spend my life on this app saying new book boyfriend but listen West got exiled out of town back when they were kids FOR HER do I need to say more??🥹 I mean the fact that he's been in love with her since forever but she's had a crush on his brother; I'd love to see this as an adaptation 🫠 this was my first reading experience with the author but not the last. If you're looking for a holiday romance with adventure, heart and banter I highly recommend adding this to your TBR!
Read if you enjoy
▪︎ Estranged childhood friends
▪︎ Grumpy x sunshine
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ He wants her, she wants his older brother
▪︎ Road trip
▪︎ Banter
Plot Summary
With her business failing and a recent breakup, Blair is determined to win over her longtime crush, Mason, when he returns home for Christmas. Her journey takes an unexpected turn when she ends up travelling with his brooding older brother West. As their chaotic road trip brings them closer, Blair may discover that the man she’s been chasing isn’t the one her heart truly wants.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ALC
My Bookstagram
November 11, 2026
Sometimes the best holiday romances aren’t about finding the person you’ve always dreamed of, but discovering that the person you truly need has been right in front of you all along.
Blair Balinsky’s life is falling apart, and Christmas couldn’t have come at a worse time. Her dream of owning a successful sandwich shop is weeks away from collapsing, she’s just been dumped, and now she’s expected to attend her brother’s wedding to her former best friend, who seems to be the daughter her parents always wished they’d had. Returning home means facing everyone who ever doubted her, and Blair isn’t exactly eager to give them more ammunition.
But when she discovers that Mason, her childhood crush and hometown golden boy, is finally single and heading home for the holidays, Blair sees an opportunity to turn her luck around. There’s just one problem: she has no way to get there in time. Enter West, the grumpy, somewhat mysterious bar owner next door to her sandwich shop, who also happens to be Mason’s older brother.
What begins as a desperate plea for a ride turns into a chaotic, charming, and wonderfully festive journey home. Along the way, Blair begins to realize that she may have misjudged West, just as she’s miscalculated some of her own choices. Meanwhile, West has feelings and a complicated family history that Blair knows very little about.
What I particularly appreciated was the character development beneath the familiar romantic comedy premise. Blair is still carrying the insecurities of the not-so-popular girl she was in high school, desperately wanting to prove to her hometown that she’s made something of herself. West, on the other hand, has spent years living with the reputation of being the family rebel, even though he was never quite the troublemaker everyone believed him to be. His guarded personality conceals years of rejection, complicated family relationships, and emotions he’s learned to keep to himself.
Both characters are lovable precisely because of their imperfections. They have spent so much of their lives measuring themselves against other people’s expectations that they’ve lost sight of what might actually make them happy. Blair measures her worth through professional success, the approval of her family, and the possibility of finally winning Mason’s affection. West has spent years living in his brother’s shadow, seemingly resigned to being the disappointment of the family. Neither has been particularly successful at recognizing their own worth.
I especially enjoyed how Wilde explores the lasting influence of family dynamics and hometown reputations. Sometimes the people who have known us the longest are the least willing to recognize who we’ve become. Blair and West both struggle with this, and their journey toward self-acceptance gives the romance an emotional depth that I appreciated. West’s story, in particular, raises an interesting question: Does he really need to redeem himself, or does he simply need to stop seeking approval from people who have never understood him?
Blair’s journey is equally meaningful. With her business struggling and her personal life in shambles, she initially seems convinced that happiness depends on proving herself successful in the eyes of others. Yet as her relationship with West develops, she begins to reconsider what success, belonging, and happiness actually mean. Their romance becomes about more than attraction; it’s also about finding someone who sees beyond the labels and expectations imposed by everyone else.
I also appreciated the contrast between Blair’s sunshine personality and West’s grumpy exterior. Their differences create entertaining banter and romantic tension, but beneath those familiar tropes are two people who have more in common than either initially realizes. Their vulnerabilities make their developing connection feel more meaningful.
Although the romantic outcome is fairly predictable, I didn’t find that particularly disappointing. Sometimes knowing where a love story is headed is part of its charm. What matters is whether the characters make the journey worthwhile, and I found myself genuinely rooting for these two. The familiar holiday romance formula does limit the element of surprise, but the emotional development and chemistry make it an enjoyable experience.
Kirsten Leigh and Lance Greenfield are excellent choices to narrate Blair and West. Their performances capture the contrasting personalities, emotional vulnerabilities, and developing connection between the characters. I particularly appreciated how the dual narration allowed me to experience both perspectives, making their misunderstandings and unspoken feelings more engaging.
The Twelve Days of You reminds me of those cozy winter road-trip romantic comedies I love curling up on the couch to watch, preferably with a cup of hot cocoa piled high with marshmallows. It has the festive chaos, romantic tension, humor, and heartfelt moments that make this kind of story so entertaining, with enough emotional substance to keep it from feeling like just another predictable holiday romance. Readers should also know that, despite its cozy holiday atmosphere, this is an adult romance with open-door intimate scenes.
I’d recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy grumpy/sunshine relationships, complicated family dynamics, a brother’s-best-friend-adjacent romantic setup, and holiday adventures with plenty of chemistry and spice. It’s a comforting reminder that sometimes finding your way home has less to do with where you’re going and more to do with discovering where, and with whom, you truly belong.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Blair Balinsky’s life is falling apart, and Christmas couldn’t have come at a worse time. Her dream of owning a successful sandwich shop is weeks away from collapsing, she’s just been dumped, and now she’s expected to attend her brother’s wedding to her former best friend, who seems to be the daughter her parents always wished they’d had. Returning home means facing everyone who ever doubted her, and Blair isn’t exactly eager to give them more ammunition.
But when she discovers that Mason, her childhood crush and hometown golden boy, is finally single and heading home for the holidays, Blair sees an opportunity to turn her luck around. There’s just one problem: she has no way to get there in time. Enter West, the grumpy, somewhat mysterious bar owner next door to her sandwich shop, who also happens to be Mason’s older brother.
What begins as a desperate plea for a ride turns into a chaotic, charming, and wonderfully festive journey home. Along the way, Blair begins to realize that she may have misjudged West, just as she’s miscalculated some of her own choices. Meanwhile, West has feelings and a complicated family history that Blair knows very little about.
What I particularly appreciated was the character development beneath the familiar romantic comedy premise. Blair is still carrying the insecurities of the not-so-popular girl she was in high school, desperately wanting to prove to her hometown that she’s made something of herself. West, on the other hand, has spent years living with the reputation of being the family rebel, even though he was never quite the troublemaker everyone believed him to be. His guarded personality conceals years of rejection, complicated family relationships, and emotions he’s learned to keep to himself.
Both characters are lovable precisely because of their imperfections. They have spent so much of their lives measuring themselves against other people’s expectations that they’ve lost sight of what might actually make them happy. Blair measures her worth through professional success, the approval of her family, and the possibility of finally winning Mason’s affection. West has spent years living in his brother’s shadow, seemingly resigned to being the disappointment of the family. Neither has been particularly successful at recognizing their own worth.
I especially enjoyed how Wilde explores the lasting influence of family dynamics and hometown reputations. Sometimes the people who have known us the longest are the least willing to recognize who we’ve become. Blair and West both struggle with this, and their journey toward self-acceptance gives the romance an emotional depth that I appreciated. West’s story, in particular, raises an interesting question: Does he really need to redeem himself, or does he simply need to stop seeking approval from people who have never understood him?
Blair’s journey is equally meaningful. With her business struggling and her personal life in shambles, she initially seems convinced that happiness depends on proving herself successful in the eyes of others. Yet as her relationship with West develops, she begins to reconsider what success, belonging, and happiness actually mean. Their romance becomes about more than attraction; it’s also about finding someone who sees beyond the labels and expectations imposed by everyone else.
I also appreciated the contrast between Blair’s sunshine personality and West’s grumpy exterior. Their differences create entertaining banter and romantic tension, but beneath those familiar tropes are two people who have more in common than either initially realizes. Their vulnerabilities make their developing connection feel more meaningful.
Although the romantic outcome is fairly predictable, I didn’t find that particularly disappointing. Sometimes knowing where a love story is headed is part of its charm. What matters is whether the characters make the journey worthwhile, and I found myself genuinely rooting for these two. The familiar holiday romance formula does limit the element of surprise, but the emotional development and chemistry make it an enjoyable experience.
Kirsten Leigh and Lance Greenfield are excellent choices to narrate Blair and West. Their performances capture the contrasting personalities, emotional vulnerabilities, and developing connection between the characters. I particularly appreciated how the dual narration allowed me to experience both perspectives, making their misunderstandings and unspoken feelings more engaging.
The Twelve Days of You reminds me of those cozy winter road-trip romantic comedies I love curling up on the couch to watch, preferably with a cup of hot cocoa piled high with marshmallows. It has the festive chaos, romantic tension, humor, and heartfelt moments that make this kind of story so entertaining, with enough emotional substance to keep it from feeling like just another predictable holiday romance. Readers should also know that, despite its cozy holiday atmosphere, this is an adult romance with open-door intimate scenes.
I’d recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy grumpy/sunshine relationships, complicated family dynamics, a brother’s-best-friend-adjacent romantic setup, and holiday adventures with plenty of chemistry and spice. It’s a comforting reminder that sometimes finding your way home has less to do with where you’re going and more to do with discovering where, and with whom, you truly belong.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 12, 2026
“I see you, and I want you. No one compares to you.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴀʀᴍ” x ʟᴀᴜꜰᴇʏ & ᴅᴏᴅɪᴇ
0:20 ─♥──────── 2:38
╭➤ the premise ────────────────────────────╮
Blair is heading home for Christmas with one goal in mind: finally get the attention of her longtime crush, Mason. The only problem? Getting there means a road trip with his brooding older brother, West, who has wanted her for far longer than she realizes.
────────────────────────────╯
I will ALWAYS be a sucker for the forced proximity that comes with a road trip, and this one gave me absolutely everything I wanted and craved. The chaos, the holiday atmosphere, the unexpected moments, the growing feelings. I was eating it UP hehehe
I honestly loved Blair from the very beginning. She’s different, a little weird, quirky, and honestly, I’m not gonna lie, she reminded me of myself. 😭 And I cannot forget Sir Harold Bennington the Third. WHAT A CUTIE PATOOTIE. 😂 I get so ridiculously giddy whenever kitties are part of a story, and having a cat girl slowly turn her love interest into a cat guy? YES. We love to see it. A green flag I can absolutely get behind 🙂↕️
But West. WEST. This man completely stole my heart. I loved watching him go from grumpy and guarded to someone who consistently put Blair before himself. The way he cared for her when she was sick, the little things he remembered, and HIM COLLECTING THE MAPS. 😭 I could cry. He was so thoughtful, so quietly sweet, and constantly thinking about everyone else. 🥹 AND THE TATTOO?!?! The fact that he’d been carrying those feelings for her all those years while she had absolutely no idea. I was GONEEEEE
What really got me, though, was how deeply West believed he was worthless because of how people had treated him growing up 🥺🥺🥺 Watching Blair slowly remind him that he was worthy of love, kindness, and someone choosing him was genuinely heartbreaking and beautiful. He wasn’t used to having someone in his corner, but she wanted to be there. 😭🥹
I’M SORRY BUT THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE 😭
Honestly, this was the perfect holiday read. Lots of laughter, swooning, the cutest kitty, a CRAZY santa auction 😉 and just the right amount of emotional damage. I loved these characters, I loved their journey, and I would happily take another chaotic road trip with them. Five stars, absolutely deserved. 💗
favorite quotes ↓
“I could spend the rest of my life just holding on to her. Making her laugh, listening to her talk. What does it matter that I don’t have a proper family, when I have Blair to myself like this?”
“My days of aching to fit in are long gone. There isn’t a place on this earth I don’t belong, as long as I’m with her.”
things to know about the book ↓
❄️ grumpy x sunshine
❄️ crush’s older brother
❄️ girl next door
❄️ forced proximity
❄️ he’s always loved her
❄️ secret tattoo
❄️ chaotic road trip
❄️ dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 18, 24, 29
Thank you Love Notes & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
november 11th- WHY IS EVERYTHING GRUMPY SUNSHINE (but this sounds promising other than that and everything I've read by this author has been amazing...)
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴀʀᴍ” x ʟᴀᴜꜰᴇʏ & ᴅᴏᴅɪᴇ
0:20 ─♥──────── 2:38
╭➤ the premise ────────────────────────────╮
Blair is heading home for Christmas with one goal in mind: finally get the attention of her longtime crush, Mason. The only problem? Getting there means a road trip with his brooding older brother, West, who has wanted her for far longer than she realizes.
────────────────────────────╯
I will ALWAYS be a sucker for the forced proximity that comes with a road trip, and this one gave me absolutely everything I wanted and craved. The chaos, the holiday atmosphere, the unexpected moments, the growing feelings. I was eating it UP hehehe
I honestly loved Blair from the very beginning. She’s different, a little weird, quirky, and honestly, I’m not gonna lie, she reminded me of myself. 😭 And I cannot forget Sir Harold Bennington the Third. WHAT A CUTIE PATOOTIE. 😂 I get so ridiculously giddy whenever kitties are part of a story, and having a cat girl slowly turn her love interest into a cat guy? YES. We love to see it. A green flag I can absolutely get behind 🙂↕️
But West. WEST. This man completely stole my heart. I loved watching him go from grumpy and guarded to someone who consistently put Blair before himself. The way he cared for her when she was sick, the little things he remembered, and HIM COLLECTING THE MAPS. 😭 I could cry. He was so thoughtful, so quietly sweet, and constantly thinking about everyone else. 🥹 AND THE TATTOO?!?! The fact that he’d been carrying those feelings for her all those years while she had absolutely no idea. I was GONEEEEE
What really got me, though, was how deeply West believed he was worthless because of how people had treated him growing up 🥺🥺🥺 Watching Blair slowly remind him that he was worthy of love, kindness, and someone choosing him was genuinely heartbreaking and beautiful. He wasn’t used to having someone in his corner, but she wanted to be there. 😭🥹
“Until my last, dying breath, I will fix this. I will erase every wrong word he’s ever heard about himself. Stuff him so full of good ones, he’ll have no choice but to believe them.”
I’M SORRY BUT THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE 😭
Honestly, this was the perfect holiday read. Lots of laughter, swooning, the cutest kitty, a CRAZY santa auction 😉 and just the right amount of emotional damage. I loved these characters, I loved their journey, and I would happily take another chaotic road trip with them. Five stars, absolutely deserved. 💗
favorite quotes ↓
“I could spend the rest of my life just holding on to her. Making her laugh, listening to her talk. What does it matter that I don’t have a proper family, when I have Blair to myself like this?”
“My days of aching to fit in are long gone. There isn’t a place on this earth I don’t belong, as long as I’m with her.”
things to know about the book ↓
❄️ grumpy x sunshine
❄️ crush’s older brother
❄️ girl next door
❄️ forced proximity
❄️ he’s always loved her
❄️ secret tattoo
❄️ chaotic road trip
❄️ dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 18, 24, 29
Thank you Love Notes & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
november 11th- WHY IS EVERYTHING GRUMPY SUNSHINE (but this sounds promising other than that and everything I've read by this author has been amazing...)
October 4, 2026
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.5 stars
oh my gosh best holiday romance ever!!!!! this was so swoony and fun
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
adoreeeee ellie!! one of my fav sports romance authors and it is crazy how i have yet to read her indie books!!! this cover is SO gorgeous and i know i will adore this!! road trip & crush's older brother?! YES!!!
thank you ellie / team ellie k wilde for the eARC
oh my gosh best holiday romance ever!!!!! this was so swoony and fun
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
adoreeeee ellie!! one of my fav sports romance authors and it is crazy how i have yet to read her indie books!!! this cover is SO gorgeous and i know i will adore this!! road trip & crush's older brother?! YES!!!
thank you ellie / team ellie k wilde for the eARC
November 8, 2026
FIVE MOTHERFKN STARS
This was sooooo unbelievably good. I’ve read a lot of Ellie’s previous books & loved them - so I knew I was in a treat with this holiday romcom but Ellie did her BIG ONE with this!!!!
West - yearning personified. I love you. You’re perfect.
things to know:
- they from the same small town & ended up owning businesses across from each other in Chicago
- he owns a successful bar
- she co-owns a struggling sandwich shop
- in middle & highschool she had a big crush on his younger brother
- he had a crush on her
- EX - CRUSH’s OLDER BROTHER!!!!!! I feel like I’ve been reborn
- holiday roadtrip where quite literally everything goes wrong
- adjoining motel rooms when their ride breaks down
- she catches him in the shower ………… saying her name
This was sooooo unbelievably good that I haven’t scrolled tiktok in the last 5 hours. That deserves some kind of literary award
This was sooooo unbelievably good. I’ve read a lot of Ellie’s previous books & loved them - so I knew I was in a treat with this holiday romcom but Ellie did her BIG ONE with this!!!!
West - yearning personified. I love you. You’re perfect.
things to know:
- they from the same small town & ended up owning businesses across from each other in Chicago
- he owns a successful bar
- she co-owns a struggling sandwich shop
- in middle & highschool she had a big crush on his younger brother
- he had a crush on her
- EX - CRUSH’s OLDER BROTHER!!!!!! I feel like I’ve been reborn
- holiday roadtrip where quite literally everything goes wrong
- adjoining motel rooms when their ride breaks down
- she catches him in the shower ………… saying her name
This was sooooo unbelievably good that I haven’t scrolled tiktok in the last 5 hours. That deserves some kind of literary award
November 12, 2026
first English, then Ukrainian
Thank you, Love Notes PR, for the ARC! ❤️
Remember how Kevin’s mom from Home Alone was desperately trying to get home for Christmas? Well, this is pretty much that story, except with our main characters embarking on a chaotic, witty, and emotional road trip across the country. Twelve days to make it back to their hometown and win over her old high school crush, all while spending those twelve days in the company of his older brother and her childhood friend. What could possibly go wrong, you ask? Oh, A LOT, I’m here to tell you. 🌚
But keep in mind, this isn’t just a fun little Christmas rom-com to make you giggle before bed. Sure, the first half is hilarious: all the bickering, grumbling, and the way these two slowly grow closer. Their hitchhiking adventures deserve a special mention. I absolutely loved how, at every stop, they met new people, learned their stories, and gradually started healing themselves along the way. Because, let’s be honest, both of them brought a whole lot of baggage on this trip. And yes, we’ll be reminded of those issues quite frequently throughout the book, because, well, those wounds are still very much open. No therapy, no working through their trauma, nothing. They're grown adults, after all. Who needs that? 😂 But hey, all's well that ends well, and we get a lovely festive HEA for everyone! 🌚
Blair is not just a woman; she's an entire whirlwind of problems and emotions. She's sweet, witty, ambitious (at least in her own mind), and incredibly empathetic toward others (even if it doesn't always work in her favor). And, of course, she's got her own demons to deal with. Despite her past trauma, being bullied at school, and all her attempts to become someone she's not, she's still like a ray of sunshine. She can connect with complete strangers, cheer people up, and have a good time wherever she goes. I'm really glad that the issue she'd been overthinking and building up in her head was resolved fairly quickly and without any unnecessary drama.
Weston… oh, WHAT A MAN. On the outside, he's all scowls and grumpiness, having built walls around himself and refusing to let anyone get too close ever again. He's not a man of many words, and he can come across as a little rough around the edges at first, but the fact that he quietly takes action and does things to make Blair's life better completely won me over. 😮💨
There were moments when I felt absolutely heartbroken for him. 😢 Reading about his family, his parents' treatment of him, and his relationship with his brother made me want to wrap him in a huge hug and never let go. No wonder he shut himself off from the world, and even after all these years, he's still carrying the weight of everything that happened. Honestly, I don't even think that whole "just communicate!" approach would've helped here. They needed to be removed from West's life like a rotten appendix, because, sadly, that wasn't a family — it was a walking infection.
And I absolutely loved watching both Blair and Weston blossom in their relationship. 🌚 Blair helped heal his wounds (never mind that she unknowingly broke him in the first place), brought some light into his life, and gave him the family and future he'd always dreamed of. They're such a chaotic opposites-attract duo, yet they fit together perfectly like two puzzle pieces. And all that tension between them finally paid off. There weren't that many spicy scenes, but the ones we got were HOT. 😮💨
And we absolutely cannot forget Sir Harold Bennington III, aka Harry — the absolute highlight of this book! I absolutely adore it when authors include charismatic little animals who steal your heart just as much as (if not more than) the main characters. 🥰
I knocked off a star for the repetitive internal monologues, the characters' tendency to overthink everything, and the somewhat excessive drama toward the end. But honestly, none of that ruined my overall enjoyment of this book. ❤️
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Пам'ятаєте як мама Кевіна із «Один вдома» добиралася назад додому на Різдво? Так от це історія наших героїв, хаотична, дотепна та емоційна подорож країною. Дванадцять днів, на те щоб дібратися до рідного містечка, аби заарканити старе шкільне кохання, причому провести всі ці дні в компанії його старшого брата і друга дитинства. Що може піти не так, спитаєте ви? Ой, дуже багато чого, відповім я вам. 🌚
Але зважайте, що це не просто весела різдвяна історія на похихикати увечері. Так, перша частина – весела: усі ці їх перепалки, бурчання і як те як вони зближались. Їх автостопи - це окрема тема, дуже класно описано як вони з кожною зупинкою знайомилися з новими людьми, дізнавалися їхні історії і потроху зцілювалися самі. Бо таки кожен потягнув з собою в цю подорож цілий ворох проблем. Так, про це будуть далі по тексту доволі часто говорити, бо, ну проблеми ті не вирішені, ніхто до психолога не ходив і не намагався то пропрацювати. Всі ж дорослі люди, навіщо воно нам 😂 Та все добре, що добре закінчується і ми маємо святковий хеппі енд для всіх 🌚
Блер – це не жінка, а цілий вихор проблем і емоцій. Вона мила, дотепна, амбіційна (ну, думками точно) і така співчутлива до оточуючих (хоча інколи воно їй грає зовсім не на руку), та, звісно, не без своїх демонів. Не дивлячись на те, що через минулі травми, цькування в школі, і намагання стати кимось іншим, ким вона не є, все ж вона як сонечно – знаходить спільну мову з абсолютними незнайомцями, вміє підбадьорити і повеселитися. Я дуже рада, що проблема, якою вона себе накрутила - вирішилася доволі швидко і без скандалів.
Вестон – ну що за чоловік. З виду весь насуплений, суцільний буркотун, що звів навколо себе мури і не бажає підпускати більше нікого настільки близько. Хоч він і небагатослівний, може на початку здаватися трохи грубим, але те що він мовчки бере і робить речі, щоб покращити життя Блер - мене остаточно підкупило. 😮💨
Мені його в деякі моменти було до неймовірного шкода. 😢 Читаючи про його родину, відношення батьків і брата я хотіла просто обійняти його і не відпускати. Не дивно що він замкнувся в собі і навіть через стільки років все ще нім тягар цих проблем. Чесно, я навіть не думаю шо там би допоміг метод говорити словами через рот. Їх просто треба було вирізати з життя Веста, як апендикс, бо то не родина, а гнійник, на жаль.
І як все таки розквітнули що Блер, що Вестон в стосунках один з одним 🌚 Блер залікувала всі його рани, (і нічого, що вона до цього його сама того не знаючи зламала) подарувала промінчик світла, родину і майбутнє, про яке він фантазував. Вони дійсно хаотичний дует з протилежностей, який склався ідеально як два пазла. І вся та напруга між ними вилилась, хоч і не в захмарну кількість спайсі сцен, проте в які ж гарячі 😮💨
Ну і не можна забувати про сера Гарольда Беннінгтона Третього або ж Гаррі - він головна родзинка книги. Обожнюю коли автори додають харизматичних тваринок, які западають в душу не менше (а то й більше) за головних героїв. 🥰
Так, я трошечки знизила бал за репитативність думок, самокопання героїв, та надлишок драми в деяких моментах під кінець книги, але це зовсім не зіпсувало мені загального враження від книги ❤️
Thank you, Love Notes PR, for the ARC! ❤️
Remember how Kevin’s mom from Home Alone was desperately trying to get home for Christmas? Well, this is pretty much that story, except with our main characters embarking on a chaotic, witty, and emotional road trip across the country. Twelve days to make it back to their hometown and win over her old high school crush, all while spending those twelve days in the company of his older brother and her childhood friend. What could possibly go wrong, you ask? Oh, A LOT, I’m here to tell you. 🌚
But keep in mind, this isn’t just a fun little Christmas rom-com to make you giggle before bed. Sure, the first half is hilarious: all the bickering, grumbling, and the way these two slowly grow closer. Their hitchhiking adventures deserve a special mention. I absolutely loved how, at every stop, they met new people, learned their stories, and gradually started healing themselves along the way. Because, let’s be honest, both of them brought a whole lot of baggage on this trip. And yes, we’ll be reminded of those issues quite frequently throughout the book, because, well, those wounds are still very much open. No therapy, no working through their trauma, nothing. They're grown adults, after all. Who needs that? 😂 But hey, all's well that ends well, and we get a lovely festive HEA for everyone! 🌚
Blair is not just a woman; she's an entire whirlwind of problems and emotions. She's sweet, witty, ambitious (at least in her own mind), and incredibly empathetic toward others (even if it doesn't always work in her favor). And, of course, she's got her own demons to deal with. Despite her past trauma, being bullied at school, and all her attempts to become someone she's not, she's still like a ray of sunshine. She can connect with complete strangers, cheer people up, and have a good time wherever she goes. I'm really glad that the issue she'd been overthinking and building up in her head was resolved fairly quickly and without any unnecessary drama.
Weston… oh, WHAT A MAN. On the outside, he's all scowls and grumpiness, having built walls around himself and refusing to let anyone get too close ever again. He's not a man of many words, and he can come across as a little rough around the edges at first, but the fact that he quietly takes action and does things to make Blair's life better completely won me over. 😮💨
There were moments when I felt absolutely heartbroken for him. 😢 Reading about his family, his parents' treatment of him, and his relationship with his brother made me want to wrap him in a huge hug and never let go. No wonder he shut himself off from the world, and even after all these years, he's still carrying the weight of everything that happened. Honestly, I don't even think that whole "just communicate!" approach would've helped here. They needed to be removed from West's life like a rotten appendix, because, sadly, that wasn't a family — it was a walking infection.
And I absolutely loved watching both Blair and Weston blossom in their relationship. 🌚 Blair helped heal his wounds (never mind that she unknowingly broke him in the first place), brought some light into his life, and gave him the family and future he'd always dreamed of. They're such a chaotic opposites-attract duo, yet they fit together perfectly like two puzzle pieces. And all that tension between them finally paid off. There weren't that many spicy scenes, but the ones we got were HOT. 😮💨
And we absolutely cannot forget Sir Harold Bennington III, aka Harry — the absolute highlight of this book! I absolutely adore it when authors include charismatic little animals who steal your heart just as much as (if not more than) the main characters. 🥰
I knocked off a star for the repetitive internal monologues, the characters' tendency to overthink everything, and the somewhat excessive drama toward the end. But honestly, none of that ruined my overall enjoyment of this book. ❤️
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Пам'ятаєте як мама Кевіна із «Один вдома» добиралася назад додому на Різдво? Так от це історія наших героїв, хаотична, дотепна та емоційна подорож країною. Дванадцять днів, на те щоб дібратися до рідного містечка, аби заарканити старе шкільне кохання, причому провести всі ці дні в компанії його старшого брата і друга дитинства. Що може піти не так, спитаєте ви? Ой, дуже багато чого, відповім я вам. 🌚
Але зважайте, що це не просто весела різдвяна історія на похихикати увечері. Так, перша частина – весела: усі ці їх перепалки, бурчання і як те як вони зближались. Їх автостопи - це окрема тема, дуже класно описано як вони з кожною зупинкою знайомилися з новими людьми, дізнавалися їхні історії і потроху зцілювалися самі. Бо таки кожен потягнув з собою в цю подорож цілий ворох проблем. Так, про це будуть далі по тексту доволі часто говорити, бо, ну проблеми ті не вирішені, ніхто до психолога не ходив і не намагався то пропрацювати. Всі ж дорослі люди, навіщо воно нам 😂 Та все добре, що добре закінчується і ми маємо святковий хеппі енд для всіх 🌚
Блер – це не жінка, а цілий вихор проблем і емоцій. Вона мила, дотепна, амбіційна (ну, думками точно) і така співчутлива до оточуючих (хоча інколи воно їй грає зовсім не на руку), та, звісно, не без своїх демонів. Не дивлячись на те, що через минулі травми, цькування в школі, і намагання стати кимось іншим, ким вона не є, все ж вона як сонечно – знаходить спільну мову з абсолютними незнайомцями, вміє підбадьорити і повеселитися. Я дуже рада, що проблема, якою вона себе накрутила - вирішилася доволі швидко і без скандалів.
Вестон – ну що за чоловік. З виду весь насуплений, суцільний буркотун, що звів навколо себе мури і не бажає підпускати більше нікого настільки близько. Хоч він і небагатослівний, може на початку здаватися трохи грубим, але те що він мовчки бере і робить речі, щоб покращити життя Блер - мене остаточно підкупило. 😮💨
Мені його в деякі моменти було до неймовірного шкода. 😢 Читаючи про його родину, відношення батьків і брата я хотіла просто обійняти його і не відпускати. Не дивно що він замкнувся в собі і навіть через стільки років все ще нім тягар цих проблем. Чесно, я навіть не думаю шо там би допоміг метод говорити словами через рот. Їх просто треба було вирізати з життя Веста, як апендикс, бо то не родина, а гнійник, на жаль.
І як все таки розквітнули що Блер, що Вестон в стосунках один з одним 🌚 Блер залікувала всі його рани, (і нічого, що вона до цього його сама того не знаючи зламала) подарувала промінчик світла, родину і майбутнє, про яке він фантазував. Вони дійсно хаотичний дует з протилежностей, який склався ідеально як два пазла. І вся та напруга між ними вилилась, хоч і не в захмарну кількість спайсі сцен, проте в які ж гарячі 😮💨
Ну і не можна забувати про сера Гарольда Беннінгтона Третього або ж Гаррі - він головна родзинка книги. Обожнюю коли автори додають харизматичних тваринок, які западають в душу не менше (а то й більше) за головних героїв. 🥰
Так, я трошечки знизила бал за репитативність думок, самокопання героїв, та надлишок драми в деяких моментах під кінець книги, але це зовсім не зіпсувало мені загального враження від книги ❤️
November 1, 2026
✨ Rating: 4⭐️
🫧 Vibes: pining for years
🎶 Song: christmas eve - justin bieber
📖 Favourite Quote: "That's the kind of thing you do when you're falling for someone."
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: a perfect mix of fun and heartfelt book!
In the package:
📦 friends to lovers
📦 road trip
📦 grumpy x sunshine
📦 forced proximity
Plot: Blair's life is in shambles, she's about to be evicted and her business is failing. She hasn't been home in forever but when she finds out her long-time crush, Mason, will be home for the holidays, she decides to take a trip home. She convinces his brother, West, to take a road trip with her back home. West has never been able to say no to Blair and he wants to win her heart.
Thoughts: I did not expect this book to be so deep and heartfelt 😭 I just wanted to hug both characters and shield them from the world. Especially West from his terrible parents. He's been in love with Blair since high school so the pining and yearning in this book is chefs kiss. I loved both their personalities and the banter between them. The chaotic road trip was a good balance between the deep and emotional moments in the book. I would love to see this one adapted into a movie!
Thank you Ellie K. Wilde and Love Notes PR for the ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on instagram ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: pining for years
🎶 Song: christmas eve - justin bieber
📖 Favourite Quote: "That's the kind of thing you do when you're falling for someone."
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: a perfect mix of fun and heartfelt book!
In the package:
📦 friends to lovers
📦 road trip
📦 grumpy x sunshine
📦 forced proximity
Plot: Blair's life is in shambles, she's about to be evicted and her business is failing. She hasn't been home in forever but when she finds out her long-time crush, Mason, will be home for the holidays, she decides to take a trip home. She convinces his brother, West, to take a road trip with her back home. West has never been able to say no to Blair and he wants to win her heart.
Thoughts: I did not expect this book to be so deep and heartfelt 😭 I just wanted to hug both characters and shield them from the world. Especially West from his terrible parents. He's been in love with Blair since high school so the pining and yearning in this book is chefs kiss. I loved both their personalities and the banter between them. The chaotic road trip was a good balance between the deep and emotional moments in the book. I would love to see this one adapted into a movie!
Thank you Ellie K. Wilde and Love Notes PR for the ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on instagram ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
November 12, 2026
˗ˏˋ 5 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
omg! i didn't expect to love this book as much as i did! this will probably be one of my fav holiday romance that i've read to date! i loved both blair and weston so much, they're just so meant for each other.
i just felt so seen with blair and understoood where she was coming from, especially with how she felt like she was falling behind in life as she sees everyone her age is succeeding in life.
anyways, this is my first book by ellie and definitely not the last! i WILL be reading her backlist, mark my words!
⤷ thank you to the author, ellie k wilde, and love notes pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
omg! i didn't expect to love this book as much as i did! this will probably be one of my fav holiday romance that i've read to date! i loved both blair and weston so much, they're just so meant for each other.
i just felt so seen with blair and understoood where she was coming from, especially with how she felt like she was falling behind in life as she sees everyone her age is succeeding in life.
anyways, this is my first book by ellie and definitely not the last! i WILL be reading her backlist, mark my words!
⤷ thank you to the author, ellie k wilde, and love notes pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2026
I am DNFing this one at 30%...just a really slow start and absolutely NO Christmas vibes up to this point...I know I am in the minority on this one..just not what I was hoping for. 🤷♀️
November 10, 2026
4.25🌟 | 3🌶️
Sometimes a terrible travel companion turns out to be a rather wonderful romantic prospect.
I had such a great time with this one!
I went in expecting a fun holiday romcom, but there was more emotion to the story than I anticipated. The chaotic journey and all the unexpected mishaps kept me entertained, while their shared history made their dynamic even more fun to follow.
Blair and West were adorable together! Her sunshine personality paired so well with his grumpy exterior, but West’s years of pining were definitely my favourite part. He’s so devoted to her, and seeing him finally get the chance to show her how much she means to him was lovely. Their banter felt natural, and I enjoyed watching them find their way back to each other.
I also wasn’t expecting to get quite so attached to these two. Beneath all the Christmas chaos were some genuinely touching moments, and I loved seeing them become each other’s safe place. With plenty of chemistry, forced proximity and a few hilarious road trip disasters, this was such a fun festive read.
I’d happily watch this one as a Christmas movie!
~~~~
A sincere thank you to Ellie K. Wilde and Love Notes PR for the ARC! 🥰📚
I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨
Sometimes a terrible travel companion turns out to be a rather wonderful romantic prospect.
I had such a great time with this one!
I went in expecting a fun holiday romcom, but there was more emotion to the story than I anticipated. The chaotic journey and all the unexpected mishaps kept me entertained, while their shared history made their dynamic even more fun to follow.
Blair and West were adorable together! Her sunshine personality paired so well with his grumpy exterior, but West’s years of pining were definitely my favourite part. He’s so devoted to her, and seeing him finally get the chance to show her how much she means to him was lovely. Their banter felt natural, and I enjoyed watching them find their way back to each other.
I also wasn’t expecting to get quite so attached to these two. Beneath all the Christmas chaos were some genuinely touching moments, and I loved seeing them become each other’s safe place. With plenty of chemistry, forced proximity and a few hilarious road trip disasters, this was such a fun festive read.
I’d happily watch this one as a Christmas movie!
~~~~
A sincere thank you to Ellie K. Wilde and Love Notes PR for the ARC! 🥰📚
I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨
September 12, 2026
This was so addictive. I couldn’t put it down. The absolute perfect holiday read.
I’ll be back in the morning with more 🤭
It’s been weeks since I’ve read this book and I still can’t get over West and Blair or their story. I truly believe this book is the perfect holiday read. I related to both our main characters in so many different ways which I actually appreciate. Truthfully, this was so much more than I was expecting. I giggled and laughed and just had so much fun when I was reading.
If you don’t have it on your winter TBR you should for sure reconsider. I could see myself re reading this every holiday season for sure.
If you enjoy:
Girl next door
Forced proximity
Secret tattoos
Grumpy x sunshine
Found family
Estranged friends
Holiday romance
He wants her, she wants his brother
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS
I’ll be back in the morning with more 🤭
It’s been weeks since I’ve read this book and I still can’t get over West and Blair or their story. I truly believe this book is the perfect holiday read. I related to both our main characters in so many different ways which I actually appreciate. Truthfully, this was so much more than I was expecting. I giggled and laughed and just had so much fun when I was reading.
If you don’t have it on your winter TBR you should for sure reconsider. I could see myself re reading this every holiday season for sure.
If you enjoy:
Girl next door
Forced proximity
Secret tattoos
Grumpy x sunshine
Found family
Estranged friends
Holiday romance
He wants her, she wants his brother
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS
November 7, 2026
Blair’s business is about to close, and after breaking up with her boyfriend just before Christmas, she has no plans to spend the holidays with her high-achieving family. But when she hears that her childhood crush, Mason, is coming home and is finally single, Blair decides to go back too. With Christmas coming up fast, her only way home is to get a ride from West, Mason’s brother and her old friend. West has worked hard to turn his life around and now runs a successful business across from Blair’s. He wants to avoid his hometown after being sent away for a mistake he made as a teenager, but when Blair asks for a ride, his old feelings for her make him agree. When their trip goes off track, they end up hitch-hiking across the country. As one festive adventure leads to another, Blair starts to realize the man she’s been chasing since she was a teenager might not be the one she really wants.
I didn’t expect this holiday romance to be such an emotional ride with West and Blair. I really enjoyed the sunshine and grumpy dynamic between them, which led to some great banter. Blair is warm and fun, always meeting new people and turning them into friends, which brings some interesting adventures as they cross the country. Although West has a grumpy exterior, I wanted to give him a hug as we learn why he was sent away from town and about his old feelings for Blair. I loved how he cared for Blair, and I almost cried when Blair found out West kept drawing his comics after he left town. Blair and West help each other heal from their hometown's past hurts while creating a family for themselves.
Twelve Days of You has everything I look for in a holiday romance. If you enjoy grumpy X sunshine, found family, and chaotic road trips, this is the holiday romance for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to review Twelve Days of You. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I didn’t expect this holiday romance to be such an emotional ride with West and Blair. I really enjoyed the sunshine and grumpy dynamic between them, which led to some great banter. Blair is warm and fun, always meeting new people and turning them into friends, which brings some interesting adventures as they cross the country. Although West has a grumpy exterior, I wanted to give him a hug as we learn why he was sent away from town and about his old feelings for Blair. I loved how he cared for Blair, and I almost cried when Blair found out West kept drawing his comics after he left town. Blair and West help each other heal from their hometown's past hurts while creating a family for themselves.
Twelve Days of You has everything I look for in a holiday romance. If you enjoy grumpy X sunshine, found family, and chaotic road trips, this is the holiday romance for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to review Twelve Days of You. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A little Christmas chaos, a road trip that doesn't quite go according to plan, and a brooding man who might just be the better choice. Blair Balinsky is determined to get her life back on track, starting with finally winning over her longtime crush, Mason. Unfortunately, getting home for Christmas means accepting a ride from West McAllen, Mason's older brother, who has a complicated history with Blair.
I enjoyed the combination of grumpy and sunshine, forced proximity, and unresolved feelings. There's something particularly entertaining about two people being stuck together long enough to realize that what they've been looking for might have been right in front of them all along.
This one feels like a candy cane martini topped with whipped cream. Sweet, festive, a little indulgent, and with just enough kick to keep things interesting. 🍸🎄
Kirsten Leigh and Lance Greenfield bring Blair and West's story to life through their dual narration, adding another layer to the romantic tension and holiday atmosphere. A festive contemporary romance for anyone who enjoys complicated feelings, second chances, and a little spice with their Christmas cheer.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia, Recorded Books for the gifted ALC.
I enjoyed the combination of grumpy and sunshine, forced proximity, and unresolved feelings. There's something particularly entertaining about two people being stuck together long enough to realize that what they've been looking for might have been right in front of them all along.
This one feels like a candy cane martini topped with whipped cream. Sweet, festive, a little indulgent, and with just enough kick to keep things interesting. 🍸🎄
Kirsten Leigh and Lance Greenfield bring Blair and West's story to life through their dual narration, adding another layer to the romantic tension and holiday atmosphere. A festive contemporary romance for anyone who enjoys complicated feelings, second chances, and a little spice with their Christmas cheer.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia, Recorded Books for the gifted ALC.
November 10, 2026
omg stop it this was actually so far BEYONDDD cute!! i went into this book hoping for at least a side of yearning and ended up leaving with a whole 3 course meal of it instead - trust me i am NOTTT COMPLAINING. god i just loved these characters so so much, even the side characters were well fleshed out and really added to the story positively which i really really appreciated!
honestly whenever i was reading this book, i simply just found myself not wanting to put it down at all - i just wanted to spend every second possible with this story so i could fawn over Blair and West justtt a little bit more! im going to be running it back and reading everything that Ellie K. Wilde has ever written now and i fear literally no one will be able to stop me...
and of course a moment for these narrators!! i think if you look into a dictionary and look for the word perfect, you will just see their names there instead. they were captivating from start to end, i can definitely see myself coming back and re-reading this when we get to the festive season in future years too
thank you so much to netgalley and rbmedia for providing me with this alc - this review has been written voluntarily and
considers my honest opinions!
honestly whenever i was reading this book, i simply just found myself not wanting to put it down at all - i just wanted to spend every second possible with this story so i could fawn over Blair and West justtt a little bit more! im going to be running it back and reading everything that Ellie K. Wilde has ever written now and i fear literally no one will be able to stop me...
and of course a moment for these narrators!! i think if you look into a dictionary and look for the word perfect, you will just see their names there instead. they were captivating from start to end, i can definitely see myself coming back and re-reading this when we get to the festive season in future years too
thank you so much to netgalley and rbmedia for providing me with this alc - this review has been written voluntarily and
considers my honest opinions!
September 12, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THERE ARE NO WORDS 😭
THERE ARE NO WORDS 😭
November 12, 2026
જ⁀➴ 4 stars
Thank you to Ellie K. Wilde and Love Notes PR for the eARC! All opinions are my own. The Twelve Days of You is out now!
༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ
I swear, every year I say that I'll read "seasonal" books. Whether it's fall books in the fall or Advent books and holiday-themed books in November-December...I never end up reading quite as many as I would like. This holiday season, I'm trying to change that! My first holiday book this season, The Twelve Days of You, was such a cute read and started my holiday TBR off strong!
Blair Balinsky feels like a failure. After doing the impossible—leaving her small hometown of Dryden to move to Chicago to start anew—she's merely weeks away from moving back home into her parents' house. Add in parents that don't seem to acknowledge her existence due to her former best friend who's taken her place in her family as her brother's fiancée and a blindsided breakup...coming back home is the worst thing to happen to her, until she finds out her childhood crush, Mason McAllen, is coming home for the holidays as well, and single for the first time in years. The only catch? Blair's way back home to win him over is via a cross-country road trip with Mason's older brother, Weston, who left without a trace of a goodbye back when they were teenagers. Unbeknownst to Blair, West's had an unrequited crush on her for the last 13 years.
If you were to ask me to give you the vibes of the book? Well, it's kind of a throwback. If you grew up watching Good Luck Charlie on Disney Channel and remember that Christmas movie special they had where Teddy and her mom have to take a cross-country road trip for the holidays when Teddy gives up her seat on the plane for a free ticket, that's exactly the vibe this book gives. It was cozy, chaotic, and so much fun all at the same time, and I loved reading about Blair and West and their growing feelings for each other as they're placed in close quarters and in close proximity the entire time.
My favorite part of the book was reading about the parallels between Blair and West, and even though they're like night and day in personality, their backstories and their dynamics with their own families aren't as far off as they thought, and they have a lot more in common than just being former friends and next-door neighbors. They constantly wrestled with the concept of never feeling like they belonged in Dryden, while also never feeling like they were good enough for their families and trying to find their place in a bigger and better place. I felt so bad for Blair as we got to learn more about her past and her growing up, and I related a lot to her story about getting bullied and feeling like she didn't belong anywhere. As for West, his family dynamic was arguably MUCH worse, and I can't imagine the amount of pressure and hurt he constantly felt when he would get overshadowed by Mason being the "golden child" of his family. (West and Mason's parents deserve a place in fictional character hell.)
Also, I need to mention. THE YEARNING? If you know me, I LOVE a man who yearns. Emmett de Vere from The Rose Bargain is currently the #1 yearner I've ever read about, but West? He honestly might take Emmett's spot. The way this man has been pining for Blair for OVER A DECADE? Reading his POV was just heartbreaking and made me giggle and kick my feet all at the same time.
I do wish that there was more about Blair and Holly's friendship in the story. I feel like Blair's dislike and feelings towards Holly were mainly because she was dating her brother, and when she moved away, her family seemed to just...do what every other normal family would do for their child's significant other and welcome them into the fold as they started to get more serious in their relationship? It seemed very one-sided (not even seemed, it WAS), and I can see why Blair's resentment would grow when she would speak to her parents, and all they would talk about was Holly and Cole, but I didn't think that was worth throwing an entire relationship away for.
There is also a VERY slight trope that's used in the story that I'm not 100% fond of. I know people sometimes see tropes as spoilers for the book (honestly? Myself included), so I won't explicitly mention which one it is, but if you've read some of my past reviews on here, you might be able to suss out which one it is. It pretty much resolves itself in a matter of a chapter or two, I believe, but it's still there, and I will never, to this day, be able to comprehend exactly why this is still used when both MCs are completely capable of being adults. That's all I'll say on that matter.
Overall, if you're looking for a cute holiday book to get you in the holiday mood, pick up Twelve Days of You! I'm so excited to read more holiday books this season, and this was a very strong start to my holiday TBR. Even if you're not a "Christmas decor doesn't go up until after Thanksgiving or until December 1st" person, please read this at some point in the season for cozy vibes and a good laugh!
༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ
Thank you to Ellie K. Wilde and Love Notes PR for the eARC! All opinions are my own. The Twelve Days of You is out now!
"What are you thinking about?" he asks.
"You," I admit.
"What about me?"
"How it only took twelve days of you to know I never want to spend another one apart."
༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ
I swear, every year I say that I'll read "seasonal" books. Whether it's fall books in the fall or Advent books and holiday-themed books in November-December...I never end up reading quite as many as I would like. This holiday season, I'm trying to change that! My first holiday book this season, The Twelve Days of You, was such a cute read and started my holiday TBR off strong!
Blair Balinsky feels like a failure. After doing the impossible—leaving her small hometown of Dryden to move to Chicago to start anew—she's merely weeks away from moving back home into her parents' house. Add in parents that don't seem to acknowledge her existence due to her former best friend who's taken her place in her family as her brother's fiancée and a blindsided breakup...coming back home is the worst thing to happen to her, until she finds out her childhood crush, Mason McAllen, is coming home for the holidays as well, and single for the first time in years. The only catch? Blair's way back home to win him over is via a cross-country road trip with Mason's older brother, Weston, who left without a trace of a goodbye back when they were teenagers. Unbeknownst to Blair, West's had an unrequited crush on her for the last 13 years.
If you were to ask me to give you the vibes of the book? Well, it's kind of a throwback. If you grew up watching Good Luck Charlie on Disney Channel and remember that Christmas movie special they had where Teddy and her mom have to take a cross-country road trip for the holidays when Teddy gives up her seat on the plane for a free ticket, that's exactly the vibe this book gives. It was cozy, chaotic, and so much fun all at the same time, and I loved reading about Blair and West and their growing feelings for each other as they're placed in close quarters and in close proximity the entire time.
My favorite part of the book was reading about the parallels between Blair and West, and even though they're like night and day in personality, their backstories and their dynamics with their own families aren't as far off as they thought, and they have a lot more in common than just being former friends and next-door neighbors. They constantly wrestled with the concept of never feeling like they belonged in Dryden, while also never feeling like they were good enough for their families and trying to find their place in a bigger and better place. I felt so bad for Blair as we got to learn more about her past and her growing up, and I related a lot to her story about getting bullied and feeling like she didn't belong anywhere. As for West, his family dynamic was arguably MUCH worse, and I can't imagine the amount of pressure and hurt he constantly felt when he would get overshadowed by Mason being the "golden child" of his family. (West and Mason's parents deserve a place in fictional character hell.)
Also, I need to mention. THE YEARNING? If you know me, I LOVE a man who yearns. Emmett de Vere from The Rose Bargain is currently the #1 yearner I've ever read about, but West? He honestly might take Emmett's spot. The way this man has been pining for Blair for OVER A DECADE? Reading his POV was just heartbreaking and made me giggle and kick my feet all at the same time.
I do wish that there was more about Blair and Holly's friendship in the story. I feel like Blair's dislike and feelings towards Holly were mainly because she was dating her brother, and when she moved away, her family seemed to just...do what every other normal family would do for their child's significant other and welcome them into the fold as they started to get more serious in their relationship? It seemed very one-sided (not even seemed, it WAS), and I can see why Blair's resentment would grow when she would speak to her parents, and all they would talk about was Holly and Cole, but I didn't think that was worth throwing an entire relationship away for.
There is also a VERY slight trope that's used in the story that I'm not 100% fond of. I know people sometimes see tropes as spoilers for the book (honestly? Myself included), so I won't explicitly mention which one it is, but if you've read some of my past reviews on here, you might be able to suss out which one it is. It pretty much resolves itself in a matter of a chapter or two, I believe, but it's still there, and I will never, to this day, be able to comprehend exactly why this is still used when both MCs are completely capable of being adults. That's all I'll say on that matter.
Overall, if you're looking for a cute holiday book to get you in the holiday mood, pick up Twelve Days of You! I'm so excited to read more holiday books this season, and this was a very strong start to my holiday TBR. Even if you're not a "Christmas decor doesn't go up until after Thanksgiving or until December 1st" person, please read this at some point in the season for cozy vibes and a good laugh!
༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ ༘⋆🤍˚ .❄️₊˚ෆ
November 13, 2026
4.5 stars.
"The Twelve Days of You" by Ellie K. Wilde is a former best friends-to-strangers-to-lovers, forced-proximity road trip holiday romance that I totally dug! I loved Blair (FMC) and Weston (MMC) and their grumpy-sunshine dynamic. Blair's business is not doing well, and by her count, she and her partner only have about 5 weeks left until they will be forced to shut down. She doesn't want to go home for the holidays for many reasons, but a very public breakup with her situationship leaves her without plans, and when she finds out her childhood crush/the most popular boy at her former high school, Mason, is going to be there for Christmas, she needs to find a way to get back home. She enlists the help of (read: BEGS) Mason's brother, Weston, who owns a bar near her home, to drive her there. Mason doesn't want to go home, but he wants to be close to Blair, so he reluctantly agrees despite being exiled by his family years prior. Of course, nothing goes right until everything Mason ever wanted (read: BLAIR) is right at his fingertips. Mason and Blair's relationship is so believable and so well-written. The two of them are both the black sheep oddballs of their respective families. They have never been able to be their true selves after being judged and beaten down. Blair loves anime and has a bombastic personality that she tries to tamp down because it's not clean or perfect or quiet. Weston is a sensitive soul who loves drawing; he has a lot of trauma stemming from when he was literally exiled to Chicago by his family after an incident at school (this gets uncovered along the way, so no spoilers from me!). During their increasingly wacky road trip back home, Blair comes to realize that maybe she wants Weston, not Mason. Together, Blair and Weston learn how to be who they really are and let their freak flags fly together. I just loved them together; there are so many heartwarming, touching, sweet moments between the two of them as the depth of Weston's love for Blair is uncovered. They have terrific, flawless banter with one another that sometimes borders on flirtatious. They are basically the second-chance trope, if they were never together in the first place. Mason has always cared for Blair from afar, even loving her without her even knowing. He is willing to do anything to make her happy, even go back home after years of becoming his own person away from his family's toxic, abusive clutches. I loved every part of this book. The end really worked for me. The Christmas cheer and shenanigans worked. The side characters, the way the characters stick up for themselves, the shower scene!!! Ugh, loved this one, and I loved the audiobook, too!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ellie K. Wilde, RBMedia, and Recorded Books for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"The Twelve Days of You" by Ellie K. Wilde is a former best friends-to-strangers-to-lovers, forced-proximity road trip holiday romance that I totally dug! I loved Blair (FMC) and Weston (MMC) and their grumpy-sunshine dynamic. Blair's business is not doing well, and by her count, she and her partner only have about 5 weeks left until they will be forced to shut down. She doesn't want to go home for the holidays for many reasons, but a very public breakup with her situationship leaves her without plans, and when she finds out her childhood crush/the most popular boy at her former high school, Mason, is going to be there for Christmas, she needs to find a way to get back home. She enlists the help of (read: BEGS) Mason's brother, Weston, who owns a bar near her home, to drive her there. Mason doesn't want to go home, but he wants to be close to Blair, so he reluctantly agrees despite being exiled by his family years prior. Of course, nothing goes right until everything Mason ever wanted (read: BLAIR) is right at his fingertips. Mason and Blair's relationship is so believable and so well-written. The two of them are both the black sheep oddballs of their respective families. They have never been able to be their true selves after being judged and beaten down. Blair loves anime and has a bombastic personality that she tries to tamp down because it's not clean or perfect or quiet. Weston is a sensitive soul who loves drawing; he has a lot of trauma stemming from when he was literally exiled to Chicago by his family after an incident at school (this gets uncovered along the way, so no spoilers from me!). During their increasingly wacky road trip back home, Blair comes to realize that maybe she wants Weston, not Mason. Together, Blair and Weston learn how to be who they really are and let their freak flags fly together. I just loved them together; there are so many heartwarming, touching, sweet moments between the two of them as the depth of Weston's love for Blair is uncovered. They have terrific, flawless banter with one another that sometimes borders on flirtatious. They are basically the second-chance trope, if they were never together in the first place. Mason has always cared for Blair from afar, even loving her without her even knowing. He is willing to do anything to make her happy, even go back home after years of becoming his own person away from his family's toxic, abusive clutches. I loved every part of this book. The end really worked for me. The Christmas cheer and shenanigans worked. The side characters, the way the characters stick up for themselves, the shower scene!!! Ugh, loved this one, and I loved the audiobook, too!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ellie K. Wilde, RBMedia, and Recorded Books for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
November 5, 2026
After reading and LOVING the Oakwood Bay series I was so excited to discover that Ellie K. Wilde wrote a Christmas book. Since I adore this woman’s writing and this cover was delicious, picking it up was a no-brainer.
Right off the bat I could already see the author’s writing shining though. The way she goes into detail when describing each characters reactions makes them leap off the page. The part in the beginning where Blair is responding to her “boyfriend’s” breakup at the bar had me cackling. I could so clearly envision her grabbing the old lady scarf and wrapping it around her outfit to prove a point.
Something I think should have been included into the story was the moment 6 months prior where Blair walks into West’s bar for the first time. We only hear about it but I would have loved to experience it in detail the moment that they first spot each other after years and years apart. In my perfect version of this book Blair would have walked in first, West and her would have had their internal monologue meltdowns and then before she can find the words to say to West, her “boyfriend” walks into the scene and we get the breakup from there.
Other than that I liked the idea of the storyline. A messy dynamic of - girl is friends with two brothers, older brother likes her, she likes younger brother, younger brother likes every girl but her. I was prepared for a very messy yet entertaining time.
The story was a little slow at first but around the 45% mark things really picked up and I became more and more interested into the storyline. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Blair at the start but over the course of the story her character started to grow on me. West was perfection. I love how open and honest he was towards Blair about his feelings towards her. Then the spicy scenes hit and OMG. What is it about this woman’s writing that is just so damn hot?!! I usually get secondhand embarrassment listening to spice on audio and will fast forward through it almost every single time. I did not fast forward these scenes. I think at one point I even audibly gasped at loud. 😂 Damn!!! 😮💨
The ending was pretty predictable but satisfying all the same.
So yeah, this is a book I will most definitely be recommending. Great writing, lively characters, lots of humor and spice that will have you fanning yourself off.
A big thank you to RB Media and Ellie K. Wilde for gifting me an ALC of The Twelve Days Of You in exchange for an honest review.
Right off the bat I could already see the author’s writing shining though. The way she goes into detail when describing each characters reactions makes them leap off the page. The part in the beginning where Blair is responding to her “boyfriend’s” breakup at the bar had me cackling. I could so clearly envision her grabbing the old lady scarf and wrapping it around her outfit to prove a point.
Something I think should have been included into the story was the moment 6 months prior where Blair walks into West’s bar for the first time. We only hear about it but I would have loved to experience it in detail the moment that they first spot each other after years and years apart. In my perfect version of this book Blair would have walked in first, West and her would have had their internal monologue meltdowns and then before she can find the words to say to West, her “boyfriend” walks into the scene and we get the breakup from there.
Other than that I liked the idea of the storyline. A messy dynamic of - girl is friends with two brothers, older brother likes her, she likes younger brother, younger brother likes every girl but her. I was prepared for a very messy yet entertaining time.
The story was a little slow at first but around the 45% mark things really picked up and I became more and more interested into the storyline. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Blair at the start but over the course of the story her character started to grow on me. West was perfection. I love how open and honest he was towards Blair about his feelings towards her. Then the spicy scenes hit and OMG. What is it about this woman’s writing that is just so damn hot?!! I usually get secondhand embarrassment listening to spice on audio and will fast forward through it almost every single time. I did not fast forward these scenes. I think at one point I even audibly gasped at loud. 😂 Damn!!! 😮💨
The ending was pretty predictable but satisfying all the same.
So yeah, this is a book I will most definitely be recommending. Great writing, lively characters, lots of humor and spice that will have you fanning yourself off.
A big thank you to RB Media and Ellie K. Wilde for gifting me an ALC of The Twelve Days Of You in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2026
ESP/ENG
Ha sido un libro bonito sobre aceptarse como es uno. Es mi primer libro de la autora así que no fui con muchas expectativas. Y a pesar de que si me costo un poco entrar en la historia, lo disfrute. La química de los personajes y sus interacciones me gustaron mucho.
West fue lo mejor del libro, definitivamente. Es un hombre serio, pero tan cariñoso y leal. Merecedor de todo el amor del mundo. Lo ame.
Tenemos una historia navideña donde nuestra protagonista regresa a su pueblo natal para ver si tiene oportunidad de salir con su crush de la adolescencia y para eso viaja con el hermano mayor problemático de su crush quien al mismo tiempo siempre tuvo un crush en ella. Este viaje es una segunda oportunidad para reconectar.
---
It was a lovely book about accepting yourself just as you are. It’s my first book by this author, so I didn’t go in with high expectations. And even though it took me a little while to get into the story, I enjoyed it. I really liked the chemistry between the characters and their interactions.
West was definitely the best part of the book. He’s a serious man, but so affectionate and loyal. He deserves all the love in the world. I loved him.
It’s a Christmas story where our protagonist returns to her hometown to see if she has a chance to date with her teenage crush, and to do so, she travels with her crush’s troubled older brother—who, at the same time, has always had a crush on her. This trip is a second chance to reconnect.
Ha sido un libro bonito sobre aceptarse como es uno. Es mi primer libro de la autora así que no fui con muchas expectativas. Y a pesar de que si me costo un poco entrar en la historia, lo disfrute. La química de los personajes y sus interacciones me gustaron mucho.
West fue lo mejor del libro, definitivamente. Es un hombre serio, pero tan cariñoso y leal. Merecedor de todo el amor del mundo. Lo ame.
Tenemos una historia navideña donde nuestra protagonista regresa a su pueblo natal para ver si tiene oportunidad de salir con su crush de la adolescencia y para eso viaja con el hermano mayor problemático de su crush quien al mismo tiempo siempre tuvo un crush en ella. Este viaje es una segunda oportunidad para reconectar.
---
It was a lovely book about accepting yourself just as you are. It’s my first book by this author, so I didn’t go in with high expectations. And even though it took me a little while to get into the story, I enjoyed it. I really liked the chemistry between the characters and their interactions.
West was definitely the best part of the book. He’s a serious man, but so affectionate and loyal. He deserves all the love in the world. I loved him.
It’s a Christmas story where our protagonist returns to her hometown to see if she has a chance to date with her teenage crush, and to do so, she travels with her crush’s troubled older brother—who, at the same time, has always had a crush on her. This trip is a second chance to reconnect.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Huge thank you to the author for the early copy! All thoughts are my own.
This had me hooked right from the beginning. I will always love a good winter romcom! The warm, cozy, holiday vibes are some of my favourite. The chaos of the road trip and the forced proximity that came along with it just made those vibes even better.
I really enjoyed Blair and West. I love a grumpy x sunshine dynamic and that plus the childhood friends and all the yearning was so so good. Their banter was fun and sweet and I loved watching them reconnect after so many years apart. As the story went on, their personalities showed up even more and I really liked that they were a safe space for each other to be themselves.
This had me hooked right from the beginning. I will always love a good winter romcom! The warm, cozy, holiday vibes are some of my favourite. The chaos of the road trip and the forced proximity that came along with it just made those vibes even better.
I really enjoyed Blair and West. I love a grumpy x sunshine dynamic and that plus the childhood friends and all the yearning was so so good. Their banter was fun and sweet and I loved watching them reconnect after so many years apart. As the story went on, their personalities showed up even more and I really liked that they were a safe space for each other to be themselves.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to RB Media/Recorded Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I have to say I was excited to find this book by Wilde. I had no idea it was being published but I loved her Oakwood Bay series so much I jumped right on requesting this. I figured if anyone could do a Christmas story right, it would be her. And maybe it was because it was audio, or maybe the story was just not for me, but it was not at all on par with the other books I have previously read by her.
If I'm basing this book only on the female narrator, Kristen Leigh, I will tell you I would not recommend it. I did not like her at all. She just didn't endear me to the FMC, Blair, in any way. She made her whiney and annoying. I enjoyed the male narrator, Lance Greenfield, enough. He brought out the FMC, West's, character well and made me like him and his grumpiness (which is not truly as grumpy as he seems, of course).
I love a good grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity story. But I hate to say I just had trouble getting on board with this one. I hated how the FMC was initially worried about how she was going to win the MMC's brother, both of whom she knows from high school. And I understand the point was she has a light bulb come on where she sees West is for her, but it just didn't hit me right even though I understood this was part of how her character was supposed to develop. Blaire had a few redeeming qualities. I did understand her need to fit in and the fact that she has spent most of her life as an outcast. But I just wish her entire character development was done a bit better.
That being said, West was my favorite part of this book. I loved how careful he was with Blaire, taking care of her when she needed it. And also, the fact that he's pretty much been crushing on her for so long was chef's kiss. And underneath all his gruff exterior he's an artist which forces him into the sensitive category even though his exterior does not exude that. Add to this how his family treated him and why he took the path he did and he is definitely a mean that has layers.
There was some good banter in the book and if I didn't find Blaire to be as insufferable as she was, I would have given this many more stars. And the themes overall are important: learning to love yourself for who you are, forging connections, being ok when you don't fit in, and learning from past mistakes while forging forward to make a life for yourself that you are proud of.
The pacing of this was SO SLOW. They are on a road trip, which should be fun and grow their relationship, but I was literally bored with all the words.
I feel like this book was written by a totally different author than the one I know and that makes me super sad. That's not to say I won't be reading future books by her, but this one was just not for me. Readers who love the Christmas Hallmark movie vibe but are looking for something with a little more emotional depth will most likely enjoy this one.
I have to say I was excited to find this book by Wilde. I had no idea it was being published but I loved her Oakwood Bay series so much I jumped right on requesting this. I figured if anyone could do a Christmas story right, it would be her. And maybe it was because it was audio, or maybe the story was just not for me, but it was not at all on par with the other books I have previously read by her.
If I'm basing this book only on the female narrator, Kristen Leigh, I will tell you I would not recommend it. I did not like her at all. She just didn't endear me to the FMC, Blair, in any way. She made her whiney and annoying. I enjoyed the male narrator, Lance Greenfield, enough. He brought out the FMC, West's, character well and made me like him and his grumpiness (which is not truly as grumpy as he seems, of course).
I love a good grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity story. But I hate to say I just had trouble getting on board with this one. I hated how the FMC was initially worried about how she was going to win the MMC's brother, both of whom she knows from high school. And I understand the point was she has a light bulb come on where she sees West is for her, but it just didn't hit me right even though I understood this was part of how her character was supposed to develop. Blaire had a few redeeming qualities. I did understand her need to fit in and the fact that she has spent most of her life as an outcast. But I just wish her entire character development was done a bit better.
That being said, West was my favorite part of this book. I loved how careful he was with Blaire, taking care of her when she needed it. And also, the fact that he's pretty much been crushing on her for so long was chef's kiss. And underneath all his gruff exterior he's an artist which forces him into the sensitive category even though his exterior does not exude that. Add to this how his family treated him and why he took the path he did and he is definitely a mean that has layers.
There was some good banter in the book and if I didn't find Blaire to be as insufferable as she was, I would have given this many more stars. And the themes overall are important: learning to love yourself for who you are, forging connections, being ok when you don't fit in, and learning from past mistakes while forging forward to make a life for yourself that you are proud of.
The pacing of this was SO SLOW. They are on a road trip, which should be fun and grow their relationship, but I was literally bored with all the words.
I feel like this book was written by a totally different author than the one I know and that makes me super sad. That's not to say I won't be reading future books by her, but this one was just not for me. Readers who love the Christmas Hallmark movie vibe but are looking for something with a little more emotional depth will most likely enjoy this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
My holiday romance expectations are ruined forever because no one is ever going to top West McAllen. I completely devoured this book. Blair and West have my entire heart, and I could have stayed trapped in that chaotic, cross-country road trip with them forever.
The banter was top-tier. The snark and the fun were everywhere, but the absolute chokehold the yearning and the "he falls first" dynamic had on me was unreal. West is so brooding and protective, I couldn't handle it. But what really blew me away was how much heart this story actually had. Beneath the festive road trip setup, there's so much messy family drama, damaged relationships, and actual, beautiful healing. The found family aspect made me tear up more than once.
I laughed, I cried, I loved every single second of it. And omg... THE PLATES. If you know, you know. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a very long time. Easy 5 stars.
The banter was top-tier. The snark and the fun were everywhere, but the absolute chokehold the yearning and the "he falls first" dynamic had on me was unreal. West is so brooding and protective, I couldn't handle it. But what really blew me away was how much heart this story actually had. Beneath the festive road trip setup, there's so much messy family drama, damaged relationships, and actual, beautiful healing. The found family aspect made me tear up more than once.
I laughed, I cried, I loved every single second of it. And omg... THE PLATES. If you know, you know. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a very long time. Easy 5 stars.
November 5, 2026
The Twelve Days of You is a sweet, funny, and heartwarming holiday romance about a chaotic road trip home for Christmas, childhood crushes, and discovering that the person you've been looking for might have been right in front of you all along. Blair decides she needs to get home for Christmas to reunite with her longtime crush, Mason, but ends up traveling with his grumpy younger brother, West. And oh, West! The yearning, the pining, the secret tattoos, and the way he loves Blair exactly as she is had me swooning. Their chemistry, banter, and all the little moments along the way were absolutely adorable. I also loved watching them work through their insecurities, old wounds, and the expectations they've placed on themselves.
This book had everything I want in a Christmas romance: holiday chaos, quirky side characters, found family, lots of laughs, and some seriously swoony moments. I loved the supportive friendships and seeing West experience the kind of love and acceptance he'd been missing for so long. My only real niggle was a bit of unnecessary miscommunication that could have been avoided with a simple conversation, but it didn't take away too much from the overall enjoyment. I listened to the audiobook, and Kirsten Leigh and Lance Greenfield did a lovely job bringing Blair and West to life. This is a fun, feel good holiday romance with lots of heart!
❄️ Holiday romance
💜 Grumpy x sunshine
❄️ Childhood friends to lovers
💜 He falls first (and harder)
❄️ Road trip
💜 Forced proximity
❄️ Found family
💜 Childhood crush
❄️ First person dual POV
Thank you Ellie K. Wilde, RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book had everything I want in a Christmas romance: holiday chaos, quirky side characters, found family, lots of laughs, and some seriously swoony moments. I loved the supportive friendships and seeing West experience the kind of love and acceptance he'd been missing for so long. My only real niggle was a bit of unnecessary miscommunication that could have been avoided with a simple conversation, but it didn't take away too much from the overall enjoyment. I listened to the audiobook, and Kirsten Leigh and Lance Greenfield did a lovely job bringing Blair and West to life. This is a fun, feel good holiday romance with lots of heart!
❄️ Holiday romance
💜 Grumpy x sunshine
❄️ Childhood friends to lovers
💜 He falls first (and harder)
❄️ Road trip
💜 Forced proximity
❄️ Found family
💜 Childhood crush
❄️ First person dual POV
Thank you Ellie K. Wilde, RBmedia | Recorded Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A little slow to win me over, but with plenty of chaos, undeniable chemistry, and more heart than I expected, Blair and West made it worth the wait.
The Twelve Days of You did take me a few chapters to get into and I do think it was a little longer than it needed to be. But as I was reading, I really enjoyed Blair and West together. I loved their banter and the humor. And of course, the chemistry between them was tense. Like extremely tense at times. And those spicy scenes…I’ll just say the chemistry definitely wasn’t lacking.
This was my first book by Ellie K Wilde so I didn’t have any expectations other than hoping it would be a new author I could to my list. What surprised me the most was the emotional side of the story. There’s more to it than just a cute romance. It’s also about learning to accept yourself, feeling like you don’t quite fit in, reconnecting with someone from your past, and moving on from old mistakes. So many themes and so many different plot events going on. It made for an engaging listen/read.
Not quite a favorite, but I ended up having fun with this one and I’m glad I stuck with it! I’m rating it a little lower mainly because it took me a while to get into the story and really connect with the characters. Once I did, though, I enjoyed it!
Thank you to RBmedia for the advance audio copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Twelve Days of You did take me a few chapters to get into and I do think it was a little longer than it needed to be. But as I was reading, I really enjoyed Blair and West together. I loved their banter and the humor. And of course, the chemistry between them was tense. Like extremely tense at times. And those spicy scenes…I’ll just say the chemistry definitely wasn’t lacking.
This was my first book by Ellie K Wilde so I didn’t have any expectations other than hoping it would be a new author I could to my list. What surprised me the most was the emotional side of the story. There’s more to it than just a cute romance. It’s also about learning to accept yourself, feeling like you don’t quite fit in, reconnecting with someone from your past, and moving on from old mistakes. So many themes and so many different plot events going on. It made for an engaging listen/read.
Not quite a favorite, but I ended up having fun with this one and I’m glad I stuck with it! I’m rating it a little lower mainly because it took me a while to get into the story and really connect with the characters. Once I did, though, I enjoyed it!
Thank you to RBmedia for the advance audio copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 30, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC! 🫶🏻
💜 grumpy/sunshine
💜 estranged friends to lovers
💜 crush’s older brother
💜 Christmas road trip
💜 he takes care of her when she’s sick
Narrated by Kirsten Leigh & Lance Greenfield 🎧
I ATEEEE this up! 🔥
I did the audiobook and the narrators did an amazing job!!
Blair and West were everything 🥹
West has been obsessed with Blair since forever, he was so down bad and I’m always here for it 🤭
Blair is so relatable and sweet, I loved her personality 🫶🏻
I was giddy the whole time! It was very romcom coded.
The shower scene 🤭🔥 iykyk
It was so cute and sweet, a perfect holiday read. I really recommend the audiobook! 🎧
💜 grumpy/sunshine
💜 estranged friends to lovers
💜 crush’s older brother
💜 Christmas road trip
💜 he takes care of her when she’s sick
Narrated by Kirsten Leigh & Lance Greenfield 🎧
I ATEEEE this up! 🔥
I did the audiobook and the narrators did an amazing job!!
Blair and West were everything 🥹
West has been obsessed with Blair since forever, he was so down bad and I’m always here for it 🤭
Blair is so relatable and sweet, I loved her personality 🫶🏻
I was giddy the whole time! It was very romcom coded.
The shower scene 🤭🔥 iykyk
It was so cute and sweet, a perfect holiday read. I really recommend the audiobook! 🎧
October 22, 2026
i will say this is not a typical type of trope i like reading, but i will read ANYTHING written by ellie so i had to give it a chance. and im not sorry about it either cause i liked it!! west is TO DIE FOR. he has been in love with her since high school & yall know i love a good childhood (teenagehood for this book tbh) to lovers. he is everything we could want in a man & i need him RN. & i LOVED BLAIR. i did get a little bit irritated at how long it took her to come to terms with not liking his brother, but we all can’t be perfect. i LOVEDDD her personality & i just wanted to give her a big ol hug and smooch bc she got me in my feels.
this book was full of fun adventures, banter that was top tier, A HOT MAN, & big, big feelings that made me cry. thank you to love notes pr & eillie for providing this book for review. all opinions are my own <3
this book was full of fun adventures, banter that was top tier, A HOT MAN, & big, big feelings that made me cry. thank you to love notes pr & eillie for providing this book for review. all opinions are my own <3
Review of advance copy
4 ⭐️
October 8, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★
ARC Review: Yes
I received an advance copy of this book from Love Notes PR in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: November 5, 2026
Standalone or Series: Standalone
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Holiday Rom-Com
Vibe: Festive
Pacing: Medium
Third-Act Breakup: Yes
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger: No
Reread-worthy: YES!! EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON!!
Tropes:
✵Forced Proximity
✵He Loves Her, She Loves His Brother
✵Friends to Strangers to Lovers
✵Found Family
Synopsis: With Blaire’s Chicago sandwich shop is just weeks from shutting down, the last thing she wants to do is face her family. But, when she finds out her childhood crush Mason is heading home and is single for the first time in forever, she realizes that this is her moment. West has done a great job of putting distance between his family, his hometown, and his crush on Blaire. But, when she stumbles into his Chicago bar asking for a ride back to their hometown, all his old feelings rush back and he agrees. West doesn’t know that Blaire is after his brother, and Blaire doesn’t know that West is still harboring old feelings for her. As their roadtrip unravels and the two hit many bumps in the road, deeper bonds start to form.
My Thoughts: Ellie K. Wilde you are brilliant. This was just spectacular start to finish. I have never been so giddy reading a holiday book before. From the very beginning, I was entranced by this story. I am such a sucker for a grumpy guy and I loved West’s immediate disdain for Blaire visiting his bar. But finding out that the grumpy energy was because he has a crush on her that has carried through childhood to now was just *chef’s kiss*.
I really connected to Blaire’s character. She was going through a rough time and was afraid of admitting her failure in front of her family. I loved that she had a supportive best friend/business parter who was there to help her pick up the pieces. Her friend refused to let her give up. And when she found out Mason was single, she immediately decided she would be going home, no questions asked. It’s very relatable thinking about that one hot person from high school you’ve been hoping to run into again.
Now West was immediately one of my favorite characters. His begrudging attitude while knowing he was about to be forced into a confined space with the girl of his dreams had me giggling and kicking my feet. This was his dream and nightmare all wrapped into one. AND THE YEARNING!! UGHHHHHH!! I was like please just kiss her already!!!!
I can’t forget to mention the cutest cat who stole the show, Sir Harold Bennington the Third!
The third-act climax really had me gasping and stressing out for both of them. A simple miscommunication spiraled, and I was clutching the edge of my kindle as I flew through to see what happened next.
This was so amazing and I will be recommending this to everyone I know!!
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!
ARC Review: Yes
I received an advance copy of this book from Love Notes PR in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: November 5, 2026
Standalone or Series: Standalone
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Holiday Rom-Com
Vibe: Festive
Pacing: Medium
Third-Act Breakup: Yes
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger: No
Reread-worthy: YES!! EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON!!
Tropes:
✵Forced Proximity
✵He Loves Her, She Loves His Brother
✵Friends to Strangers to Lovers
✵Found Family
Synopsis: With Blaire’s Chicago sandwich shop is just weeks from shutting down, the last thing she wants to do is face her family. But, when she finds out her childhood crush Mason is heading home and is single for the first time in forever, she realizes that this is her moment. West has done a great job of putting distance between his family, his hometown, and his crush on Blaire. But, when she stumbles into his Chicago bar asking for a ride back to their hometown, all his old feelings rush back and he agrees. West doesn’t know that Blaire is after his brother, and Blaire doesn’t know that West is still harboring old feelings for her. As their roadtrip unravels and the two hit many bumps in the road, deeper bonds start to form.
My Thoughts: Ellie K. Wilde you are brilliant. This was just spectacular start to finish. I have never been so giddy reading a holiday book before. From the very beginning, I was entranced by this story. I am such a sucker for a grumpy guy and I loved West’s immediate disdain for Blaire visiting his bar. But finding out that the grumpy energy was because he has a crush on her that has carried through childhood to now was just *chef’s kiss*.
I really connected to Blaire’s character. She was going through a rough time and was afraid of admitting her failure in front of her family. I loved that she had a supportive best friend/business parter who was there to help her pick up the pieces. Her friend refused to let her give up. And when she found out Mason was single, she immediately decided she would be going home, no questions asked. It’s very relatable thinking about that one hot person from high school you’ve been hoping to run into again.
Now West was immediately one of my favorite characters. His begrudging attitude while knowing he was about to be forced into a confined space with the girl of his dreams had me giggling and kicking my feet. This was his dream and nightmare all wrapped into one. AND THE YEARNING!! UGHHHHHH!! I was like please just kiss her already!!!!
I can’t forget to mention the cutest cat who stole the show, Sir Harold Bennington the Third!
The third-act climax really had me gasping and stressing out for both of them. A simple miscommunication spiraled, and I was clutching the edge of my kindle as I flew through to see what happened next.
This was so amazing and I will be recommending this to everyone I know!!
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!
Review of advance copy
This was such a cute winter romance!! Thank you Love Notes PR for this arc!!
I had fun with it! It was an easy, short read.
I’ve read In Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde before and from what I remember I loved it.
The book is cozy and a lil hectic but it gives Hallmark rom-com. 🎄❄️
I love me a second-chance romance, and although this wasn’t exactly one, it definitely had that feeling since they were friends in high school before he disappeared. AND THE PINING??? This man had been in love with her since they were kids, and I ate that UP!! I will always fold for a man who’s been secretly head over heels for years. 😭
I also love me a grumpy man who’s not actually grumpy, but is just a big softie for the woman he loves and would do anything for her.
Overall, this was such a fun, cozy winter read, and if you love a little chaos, a festive rom-com and a man who’s been in love with you for years, this one’s worth checking out! 🤍
I had fun with it! It was an easy, short read.
I’ve read In Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde before and from what I remember I loved it.
The book is cozy and a lil hectic but it gives Hallmark rom-com. 🎄❄️
I love me a second-chance romance, and although this wasn’t exactly one, it definitely had that feeling since they were friends in high school before he disappeared. AND THE PINING??? This man had been in love with her since they were kids, and I ate that UP!! I will always fold for a man who’s been secretly head over heels for years. 😭
I also love me a grumpy man who’s not actually grumpy, but is just a big softie for the woman he loves and would do anything for her.
Overall, this was such a fun, cozy winter read, and if you love a little chaos, a festive rom-com and a man who’s been in love with you for years, this one’s worth checking out! 🤍
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